The Arcane Warrior
by Hector Flores
Summary: After being transported to the fade from Earth, a young man finds a horrible truth that would make his world change, but in the end he will find true love and be a real hero to the family of the Champion of Kirkwall, he then would go an become the Grand savior of all of Thedas. (Games : Dragon Age 2 and possibly Dragon Age Inquisition)
1. Chapter 1

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

The truth of the matter is Henry Smith's life was a complete contradiction in so many things that it sometimes makes it hard for people to get to know him or trust him. He worked out like we was the captain of his high school football team but he never did any team sports, he took fencing and some karate at most.

When you picture a jock you picture a guy who has no desire to read, but Henry was an reader of the least likely sort of books, he had a room full of spells books, charms, potions and supposedly obscure magic theories. He just loved to read anything and anything related to magic.

Those who were in the same circles considered him a walking, talking, breathing library on the occult. The other thing you would expect is that such an attractive, intelligent and multifaceted person would be beating girls off him with a crowbar. He never dated anyone, he had no person that could truthfully say he called his girlfriend.

The last contradiction was that he simply loved role playing video games. His absolute favorite was the Dragon Age Series, he bought the first two and plays them nonstop for days when he is not doing either homework, working out, or reading. This was his sole means of entertainment.

His parents told him that they would get him the third volume but he had to wait and his own money was going to paying a book that he was sure it was a great book which he was had on layaway. Let's face it 60 bucks was a lot of money to spend on a game.. His parents secrets wish he would grow out of them.

The other side of this eighteen year old was that all these things had a reason he was not aware of, he was actually not the biological son of the people he had called his parents. They found him out in the middle of a crater in a building that was believed was destroyed by an explosion caused by a broken gas line.

The two just picked up the child moved to a different city, and that is how his life was until something that not even the most paranoid person would expect. The bed were he was sleeping burned to ash as a big portal opened right beneath him and was sucked into it. His classmates made fun that maybe the freak was doing a spell and he turned himself to dust.

Little did they know how wrong they were and how much they would wish they were not him. The portal took him through a region of reality that was very strange and what was most strange is that he saw it in his dreams.

A beautiful young woman welcomed him and told him to sit down and relax, she told him that her name was Andraste and they needed to talk.

From playing so much Dragon Age he recognized the name immediately. "So what would the bride of the maker, chosen champion of the elves and major figure of the chantry wish with me?"

She smiled at him, "You never figured why you loved Thedas as much as you do, did you? You love it because it is your home. I am that very Andraste but to you I am something more, I am the woman that carried you inside my body for nine long months and the bride of your father which you just called the Maker. "

Henry could not contain his laugher, and she did not like the tone and told him so." What is next you are going to tell dad is an elf and Mithral is my aunt. Boy am I having a strange dream, maybe I should listen to mom and stop playing this game for so many hours. "

Andraste looked rather upset at his comments." He is not an elf but he could be called one since all elves originate from him. Mithral is not your aunt she is more like a cousin. And this is serious so stop this insulting laughter at once. "

Henry became serious, " Look do you have any proof that you are telling me the truth, it is a rather strange story to swallow. You have to admit it is hard to believe Thedas is real, Andraste worshipped bride of a deity is my mother, and the maker of all is my dad."

Andraste simply pointed at a surface that looked like a mirror. "Then how do you explain your ears and the fact that we are speaking in elvanan?" Henry told him he simply liked to read occult books, and his ears were a birth defect.

"No my son they are no defect, now listen to me. Your father has sent you to that world as a precaution because he sense a band of Tevinter mages were going to try and kill him and us so he sent you to that world for your safety. I am here in the fade while your father slowly heals in the deepest part of this realm. "

" There is a situation that you must remedy, the life of your destined bride is in danger and you must save her or you will never find happiness that you would have had with her. I know that you secretly always loved her while you played that weird thing that let you see into our world. Your beloved Bethany needs you, and so I brought you home. "

Henry told her even if what she said is true, and that was still hard to believe he had no means to protect her against darkspawn, bandits or malificarum, he was just a simple guy after all." No you are not, take that blade by your feet. And see for yourself. "

The sword began to glow and his clothes began to change to a dark armor," You are an Arcane Warrior my son, just like the children of your father once became. The focus of a Mage is usually a staff, but to you it is a blade. This is your combat form while here in the fade, your clothes will change back to normal when you leave, it is dark because you lack the light of the one you love, the love of Bethany Hawke. "

The strangest thing this was all making sense to him. He saw something on the mirror like surface Bethany was being chased by a group of angry looking men. " She is in danger, if you are indeed my mother then listen to the plea of your son help me save her from them, I don't want her to suffer in the hands of those wicked men."

She smiled as with a move of her arm she opened another portal and this time he is walked into it willingly. "Don't fear Bethany I am on my way."

Bethany felt like she had the single worst luck in all of Thedas, she just wanted to cook something special for her mother's birthday. She just had to find these Tevinter slavers were she went to pick berries for the cake.

She was scared and was praying for someone, anyone to save her. She knew what these evil men would do to her and she did not want to be raped and end up being sold like cattle.

The portal opened behind the three men and a stranged man dressed in black leather armor appeared behind them and with a quick motion he send a wave of magic every throw his sword and the energy was unleashed as he slashed at the men. The three men had no chance to evade and had their heads destroyed from the neck up.

The sword must have been badly made or very old because the sword broke into a million pieces. "So much for trying to save her. I can't believe I can't save one woman." Henry looked at his hands and shards of the sword had cut him.

Bethany saw the blood and she without knowing why went to try and help him. She ripped a long cloth from her own dress and tried to bandage his wounds. "Don't fall asleep, focus on my voice. Are you alright? Answer me, please."

He looked at her face and he smiled as he began to realize the game did her no justice. She was so much more beautiful than the game could ever hope to make her look. As he was about to answer her brothers came swords drawn and ready to kill him. "Stand back, Carver look after our sisters wounds while I dispatch this vile criminal."

Bethany looking at her brother and told him if he as much hurt a single hair on his precious head, she would burn him and Carver to ashes. "This man saved me from those Tevinter slavers and you will not harm him, I swear it."

Carver did not want to deal with this foolishness. "Saved you with what his hands, this filthy knife ears could not save you from a rat much less a trio of Tevinter slavers. Just stand back and our brother will kill it and we can go home."

One of the Tevinter's was a Mage and so she picked up his staff as her older brother was getting closr to attack the man that rescued her. Without thinking she sent a fireball directly in front of him that made him stop on his tracks. "I mean it Garret, you harm him you die."

"What manner of blood magic how you used on my sister elf? " She was not moving her staff as to indicate that she was not going to stop from trying to save him from her brother's foolishness. Henry got up and walked over to her and that was when they noticed he was the one bleeding and not their sister like they had believed.

"Bethany, please you can not harm your brothers, please put the staff down and listen to me. You would not want their blood on your hands. I know you, now please calmed down. " Bethany did calm down as he placed his hands on hers and she did something that she did not understand now but one day she would.

She let go of the staff and with tears in her eyes she wrapped her arms around his strong neck and she kissed him passionately on his lips much to the shock of her brothers. "You are safe now my love, I am happy that I was able to save you long enough so your brothers can come and find you. I guess I can die now."

Henry fainted and fell to the ground hard. The bleeding was more severe the Bethany knew, she told them what happened and asked Carver to save him. He used his first aid skills to save him and Garret and Carver both tried to take him to their mother. She was a trained healer after all.

Their mother began treating his injuries as she asked her daughter to clarify what was going on. She told him everything, "So let me get this straight, this elf appeared out of the fade and using a piece of junk as a sword he cast a spell and killed three Tevinter slavers that found you and were chasing after you when they found you picking berries for a surprised birthday cake?"

Garret said that he was bigger and heavier than your ordinary elf, he could be a pride demon in disguise and here she was trying to save it, instead of doing the right thing and killing the bloody thing. "You father Malcom was saved many times by a dalish mages. You should be grateful instead you are asking me to kill the savior of your sister's life."

Carver stepped in and said if not a demon then a blood Mage, she threatened to burn them to ash if they attacked the filthy knife ears. Leandra slapped him hard across the face. "No racist terms in my house, I raised you better than that."

She turned to her daughter as she watched Henry sleeping, like she was a blasted bonded warhound. "Bethany why did you threaten your brothers?" She did not stop looking at him. "Because he saved me and my idiot brothers were trying to kill him."

"See blood magic, she never called me an idiot, Carver is pretty dumb be she never called me that. " Leandra got between the two of them and pulled them towards the bed he was sleeping in. " Those cuts are constant to what your sister said, you should be grateful that he saved her, not trying to get him killed. "

" You would change your tune if you saw them make kissy faces with each other mother. " Bethany was not paying attention as she touched his hair and she looked at his sleeping face, again she did not know why she did it but she kissed his lips and curled right next to him and fell asleep.

" If I didn't know any better I would say she is affected by magic alright, but not blood magic, it seems my baby girl has finally fallen in love. " Both brothers just looked at each other with a surprised look on their faces.

" It just had to be a flithy penniless wandering knife ears, our stupid sister finally falls in love and she falls in love with what should be called the least desirable bachelor in all of Thedas. I don't know show I be laughing or crying. " Leandra got to her sons and grabbed both and made their heads hit together.

" How many times do I have to say it no racist terms in my house, and for that no dinner for both of you. " Garret and Carver made the comment maybe she was also in love with the knife ears, since she was protecting him so much. Leandra corrected her earlier statement." I was wrong boys, no dinner, no breakfast and no sleeping in my house. You two want to behave like ungrateful beasts, you two can sleep in the barn. "


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

The next morning the two people woke up and he was most certainly surprised the position he woke up in and he was not complaining about it. He had his head between her tits and she was holding him close to her body and had her legs wrapped around him.

He saw her yawn as he woke up and she smiled at him. "Good morning, did you sleep well?" Henry told her he did not remember falling asleep. He did remember her brothers wanting to kill him so he tried to get out of bed, but since she was holding him like she was he was not moving out of the bed anytime soon.

"So what kind of a Mage uses a sword instead of a staff? " He heard Bethany ask him." Could you please lower your voice before you wake up your elf hating brothers? I will answer your questions but I can't do that if I am dead, unless you can talk with ghosts and that would be a different story. "

Bethany laughed at the way he answered." My mother is very against racism, she married an apostate Mage after all. So mind answer my question? " Henry told her he was an arcane warrior and as such his focus was a blade. He used a sword since it was something he actually had more of a connection to.

"So all your spells are basic slashing, stabbing and hitting type of contact spells.." Henry told her it was not necessarily true, he could also spread his magic in the air and below the soil. He could stab a wall and cause a spell to travel across the wall and hit a bandit that was hiding around the corner.

"It is basic magic flowing throw any number of substances and things. It can be quite useful for combat or defense. Like I said I an an arcane warrior. I do not stay behind like normal mages I get into the thick of it. "

Bethany called that asking for pain, he smiled and looked at her," To keep you safe, I will gladly endure the pain. " Bethany blushed and asked him why he said thing like that. " Because I mean it Bethany, I came to that place for the sole purpose of saving you. "

He then heard a person move and sit on the bed." But you did not answer why you wanted to save my daughter, even though she owed you nothing and you could have been killed. "I had a dream of a beautiful lady that would one day light my heart and make my life better, recognized the lady from my dream and so I did my best to save her. Even though her brothers would want to kill me later..."

Leandra laughed as he sounded a lot like her husband did when they first met. He said that meeting her was a dream come true. "Look, I know that you could very well chose to kick me out and demand that I never see Bethany again, or worse have her brothers kill me. But we both know the boys want to go out into the world to try and gain some fame and fortune. I know that the king is amazing troops near a fortress near here. "

Leandra nodded her head as to say she understood. " Instead I think we should work hard and gather resources to leave Ferelden and try and find somewhere we can live out in the free marshes. I know you will not believe me but the fortress is a death trap. The general will abandoned the king and the wardens when the attack is heaviest to ensure the death of the wardens and the king. "

Leandra could not understand why he was telling him such impossible things. The general was none other than a war hero, Theirin Loghain was the best friend of the king's father. There was no way he would abandon King Cailan. She told Henry this without an once of doubt.

"please listen to me, the man hates foreigners and does not even believe this is a blight, which it is. I know that no one in this village would believe me and they would want to kill me for merely suggesting what I know. But we must leave this village as soon as possible. The last thing I want is for any of Bethany's family to die.. "

Leandra asked why he was so sure, he could not tell them he saw it all happen already, they would even believe him even less. " Sounds like he is a coward brother and is just looking out for himself. " Carver commented as they listened to the entire conversation. "Or a traitor to the crown for saying the King's own father in law would abandoned him to die."

Henry was not doing so well in his attempt to make them see reason. 'Maybe this is why dad does things indirectly since he knows they would never believe it was his doing.' Henry tried to get out of bed but Bethany was still holding him in place and looking in his eyes.

"How about a bet? If he is right then you two will know when to run home and if he is wrong you will prove him a liar. When does Theirin abandon the wardens and the king? " Henry told them about the tower and the flame as the signal. The signal was supposed to tell Loghain to send in his troops catching the darkspawn in a pincer maneuver. But instead he told them to retreat.

" If you want to make it out of Ostagar then you must leave as soon as the signal on the tower, as long as I do not touch a blade the Mage hunters will not even notice me. So I offer to remain here and help Bethany and Leandra prepare for you two to get here. But make no mistake this will happen and if you stay after the tower is lit we will all die. "

Garret asked something that no one ever seemed to bother asking him. " What is your name and do you swear on the maker that you are telling us the truth? " Henry asked Bethany to please let him get out of bed, which made her realize that indeed he was holding him there.

He got up and looking at Garret in the eye and looked quite serious. " You may call me Henry Smith and I do. I swear in the maker and his bride Andraste I speak only the truth or may I burst into flames were I stand."

"So what would you have us do then? " Henry told them they need a great deal of money and resources to make it to port and to buy passage. Kirkwall was the obvious choice since they had a lage army there. But the only person problem that he could think off was the circle and the templars.

"That should not be a major problem, my family is nobility there. If we could talk to my brother I am sure he could welcome us into our family estate. " Henry did not want to tell her the painful truth that her brother stole her rightful inheritance and squandered most of their family's fortune.

Carver told them that an oath from him means little to nothing. It was common fact that dalish do not believe in the maker at all, and if he was a city elf he would have been sent to the circle of magi. He instead said that they should go to the fortress and when the wardens and the king proved him a liar, they should triumphantly return to kill him as the cowardly traitor he was.

Henry waited to here the decision by the family. In the end they decided that the brothers would verify his story. "I will remain here and help make preparations for our departure. But I will ask you a favor. Tell a grey warden named Duncan what I told you. Please tell him or countless of grey wardens will die because of one man's xenophobia."

Bethany wanted to believe him but like many of her country she grew up believing Loghain was the very model of an ethical and loyal citizen of the kingdom. Henry had no other recourse but to help them as much as he could. The family had a small herb garden and they made medicines with it.

In one of his many resource gathering ventures he saw as Sten being placed in his cage and he knew time was running out. He walked up to the massive man and greeted him as friendly as he could. Sten said that he should not talk to a murderer so politely. He told him that his sword was held by a dwarf in Redcliff, if he wanted to find it ask the Warden Commander for help when he came to town.

"Why would you tell me this? You have no knowledge of my people or my culture. You think of me a savage so why give me these words? " Henry looked at him in the eye. " The soul of a warrior is his blade, no warrior would dare live without it. I tell you because I wish to aid a fellow warrior in his time of need, so that someday someone will do the same for me. Take this food and eat Sten, you have a few days to wait. You should not do it with an empty stomach. "

He left as he placed the food inside the cage and Sten looked almost unsure of how to respond to his words. They were words that made sense to him as he ate the food.

Sten did not know how he knew his name or why did he say such things but he knew that if he met the warden commander and he or she invited him to go with him, then the strange elf was telling him the truth. He would find his blade in the hands of a dwarf by a place called redcliff.

Henry kept working hard and he knew that they needed to get ready when he saw Allister, Morrigan and an armor wearing elf with tattoos on her face. He knew that the Dark spawn were not far behind so he rushed to finish his last preparations. It turns out most people did in fact believe him and would leave as soon as they met the Warden survivors.

His pledge on the maker and Andraste made all the difference when he told them the tragic information. The only ones that did not listen where a farmer who wanted to just place poisoned traps and the revered mother who called him a blasphemer and kicked him out of the chantry.

Garret and Carver were really thinking that the elf with the strange name was completely accurate. They did as he asked but Duncan refused to abandon the king, and so only a handful of grey wardens would be safe from the massacre they warned them about. "Damn it brother how many times must I tell you, you are right. We should have listened to Henry. "

Garret looking forward to apologize to the very same elf. "We should, I only hope he kept his word and helped Bethany and mother prepare as he said he would." Just as expected as soon as they were near their home Carver began to doubt once again. "Or the coward ran away and did nothing for our family. He owes us no loyalty after the way we treated him."

Garret was about to enter when the door opened and he was given a large backpack. Bethany gave Carver one too. Henry carried one also and he told them they had time to talk on the road, no time to stop and chat with them now.

"So you did help mother and our sister prepare to evacuate. " He took a knife and slashed at something behind them. Henry killed three darkspawn that were sneaking behind Garret and Carver. " Like I said no time to stop and smell the roses, we need to move and move now. "

The family left in a hurry following an old animal trail. Leandra was quite depressed as they left the home she and her husband had made. " To think he was right all along, and find ourselves so rushed. We should have listened to him. " Carver said that hindsight is always perfect. "I can't believe we had to abandon the home your father and I built."

"As long as we live we can have a home elsewhere. " Bethany got a hold of a staff and she threw a rather sturdy longsword to Henry. " Consider this a gift from a girl that wants to spend a lot more time with you. "

He took the blade and found it to be superb, and in perfect balance. He took the front with Garret and his claymore sword. Carver took the middle position in the formation alongside Leandra and Bethany the took care of watching the rear.

They began to find that everywhere they went the darkspawn were there. Carver was getting quite tired of fighting the monsters truth be told. He was told that he should pay attention and stop his whining. "You have no right to talk, we been fighting since we left Ostagar. When you kill as many if these monstrosities then you get the right to talk to us like that."

Killing an emissary he told him one thing. "Less talking and more fighting, had you two listened to my warning we would he long gone before these things covered so much ground." Leandra noticed a couple of people fighting for their lives. Garret decided to help them as it would be safety in numbers.

Henry knew that they more than than likely make were Aveline and the blockhead that was her husband. He knew this was going to just give more time for the darkspawn to surround their path, but he also knew he did want to save at least Aveline. If not save the life of her husband.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

Aveline was doing everything she could to save herself and her husband, but he was badly injured. She just finished killing a darkspawn and doing it while screaming like a mad woman that they would not take him. She then sees another group coming her way and first she did not believe it they were not darkspawn but she did not trust them.

"I don't know who you are but if you wish us harm. I will kill you. " Henry understood it was fear talking but it still hurt to hear her first words as a greeting was an actual threat. " Listen we been fighting these things since Lotherin and we are going to escape this blight. We figured that there be a better chance if we go together. Safety in numbers as they say." Garret was making an honest plea.

"The darkspawn's intent is clear a mage's is always in question.. They have apostates in their group. The order dictates.. " Aveline told her husband to be quiet, that she knew that the person who just talked was right. Henry knew differently if he remained injured he would be infected by the taint and they would be forced to kill them.

So we walked to them with his longsword in hand. "Henry you do not need to kill them, we can talk a peaceful solution." Bethany obviously believed in him, Leandra not so much by her words. Henry walked and when she expected an attack he stabbed the ground near them. Bethany knew what he was doing somehow.

"Your husband is injured and so are you. You hate apostates let's see what an Arcane warrior can do for a zealot of the chantry and his battle crazed wife. " The magic formed a circle around the area around them and their injuries began to heal and the wounds closed as the flesh in their bodies regenerated to be perfectly healthy.

" I am not your enemy, but these darkspawn are. If left injured your husband would have been infected with their taint. Now after this do you still believe us to be your enemies? " Aveline was speechless as the strangely named elf talked to them. In truth deep down she was grateful but she would watch out for any sudden acts.

" We can hate each other later, I am Aveline and this is my husband Ser Westley. " Leandra just had to get her five coppers in.. " I thought that most templars left with the chantry when they abandoned Lotherin. "

Henry looked at her and could not believe her harsh words. " No, I imagine he is one that survived the treason of Loghain at Ostagar, what do you think Garret? " Garret was happy someone finally used his first name they always seem to just call him by his family name. "I think you are right Henry. Know this templar I will protect my sister and her lover."

"We can hate each other later but right now we need to make it to port. " Aveline did not want to waste time in them screaming challenges at each other. Henry knew she was a driven woman but to this extent that was a surprise.

Henry and Garret took the front position and Aveline joined Carver in the middle and Westley stood near Leandra, Bethany blasted a darkspawn that was trying to sneak on them. They group began to make good progress as Aveline asked Bethany what did she see in the elf to make her love him?

"Well he is handsome, kind, caring, strong, and very kind. He saved me from Tervinter slavers and he has helped my family immensely. You don't need a reason to fall in love but with all that how could I not?" Aveline figured he was their servant but never did she figure that he was indeed this young woman's lover.

Henry just knew as they took care of the last of a wave of darkspawn what was coming their way if the shaking of the ground was not enough of an indication. He quickly switched blades with Garret and ran towards the charging ogre when he got near he sent a massive wave of energy that cut his legs from under the ogre.

He jumped into the air landed on the ogre's shoulders and with a shining sword in both hand he stabbed it into his skull and the Ogre began to glow as he jumped off it and as the other darkspawn that were getting near the ogre came to look. The ogre blew up in a massive fireball burning it and all darkspawn near it to ash.

Bethany broke ranks and ran into Henry placing her face on his chest and hitting his chest with her fist. "Do you know how scared you made me, I nearly had a heart attack seeing you do that. Don't you make me a widow before my time.." Bethany kissed him hard as proof of how much she loved him.

"As much as I love seeing my sister make kisyy faces with her boyfriend. I think we still have darkspawn to deal with. " Carver was always such a caring guy, and Loghain left the army at Ostagar to get reinforcements..

Just as he finished his insensitive words a dragon flew down and breathing fire the Dragon burned about a hundred darkspawn all around them and as the ashes blew away she changed into the form of a well preserved almost horned woman. "I don't know who you are but I will not let you harm the people in this group."

Did Carver ever say anything smart in his life. "Can you possibly be any more rude Carver, Maker help me if my kids ever act like their uncle. Thank you for your help Flemeth, I know that you are busy."

With her hand on her hip she began to walk towards Bethany and Henry. "Would you mind, I need to have a word with your boytoy here." she grabbed Henry and practically dragged him off where they could not listen. "Ok, how do you know me and why are you being so friendly with me?"

"That is not very nice way to treat family cousin Mitharal. If father was not so ill after what those Tevinter thieves tried to do to him, I am sure he would give you a severe talking to. How is your dear friend Wolf doing these days. I hear he was blamed for your murder. " Flemeth was taken by surprise, so much she left him go.

" So they decided to bring back home, after all these years. Nice to see you too cousin. But mind telling me where are you going with these mortals? And since when did you have a human lover? " Henry laughed and put his arms around her almost like giving her a hug.

" fated kinship cousin, as to were I figured that I might do some traveling since I been so far away from home. I saw Morrigan a few days ago in Lotherin it is clear you did not even mention me cousin.. I am hurt, so very hurt.. " Flemeth laughed and told him that is what happens when you stop talking to your relatives for a few centuries.

As they walked back to the group and Bethany was glaring daggers at her. " So you intend to make it to Kirkwall, well since you are family do me one little favor and I will get you safely to the port town." Henry simply told her to give him her trinket and he would take it to the dalish camp.

"Just a second, mind telling me why did you hug her darling? " Henry kissed Bethany on her lips to calm her down. " Why shouldn't I hug my cousin? " he asked her as she was held in his arms after the tender kiss calmed her down. Garret just had to be close to hear that." Your cousin, your cousin is Flemeth witch of the wilds! Will you ever stop surprising us elf. "

Great Carver heard too, that means somehow the entire group heard. " Cousin you really should consider a career in Opera, you do have quite a set of lungs in you. " Great now even she was making fun of me.. Flemeth was good at her word and did guide them to a nearby port town where they paid for passage abroad a cargo ship going to the free marches.

Don't get the impression this was a wonderful cruise because it wasn't. Sure it was nice to sleep with Bethany right next to him, but let's face it if you are seen sleeping with a beauty like her it is bound to run someone the wrong way. Specially some dipstick who according to him he wanted a taste of that fine ass she has.

So in short Henry was never really bored. He had one fight every single day and he beat everyone into the cargo hold deck with his bare hands. Carver also knew that even unarmed the guy was not someone to mess with.

One night he simply could not sleep, he was worried about something. Garret finally decides to have a one to one. "So what do you feel about my sister? You love her or are you just thinking it just some casual sex?" Henry looked at him as if almost asking if he was serious. "I crossed the fate and killed a trio of scumbag just so that I could be with her. Then have to put up with my future in laws treating me worse than they do a dog."

"Just so that we are clear, I did not trust you because my sister was covered in blood, not a good first impression. I didn't know it was all yours. Why didn't you heal yourself like you did with that templar? " Henry looked at him and smiled. " If I don't have a blade in my hands I am your average dalish elf. Never lived in one of your cities and never was taught the old religion. But you already think I am one so there you have it. "

" My sword was an old relic I picked on my way out of the fade. It broke to pieces as soon as I got done with the tevinter scumbags. " Garret just had to ask how did he make it out of the fade, he told him the truth." Andraste lend me a helping hand. " Garret looked like was lying thorough his teeth." Honest, she actually opened the way out of the fade, she is the maker's bride you don't think she has some magic? "

" Considering you convinced the ship owner to let us right at a severe discount I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised. What did you tell him anyways?" Henry smiled a rather scary smile on his face and answered. "I just told him my cousin Flemeth would be very angry with him if he tried to rip my family off.."

Garret didn't know whether to feel sorry for the ship owner or grateful that his potential in law did not feel shy about throwing his weight around to protect the people in their little group. "So what do you plan to do once you get to Kirkwall, just need to know if I make any plans."

"Well first try to get this little family of mine in the city, then get a paying job don't want my mother in law thinking I am dead weight, I have a few suspicions about your uncle Tamlen if he is doing what I think he is I might want to beat him up the same way I did those who got fresh about wanting to get a taste off your sister. I probably need to get a decent home, a ring and the cost of a wedding. Those bribes for the circle will not come cheap either. "

Henry stared at his sword. " I probably can get a job as the court Mage of the viceroy, or at least a bodyguard. There is not enough gold in the Deep roads to make me join the guard. I will always be willing to lend a helping hand to my in laws however, so you need a favor ask my blushing bride over here. "

Garret told him he would do that if he really needed it. After he fell asleep he heard someone walk up to him and sit down near him. " Relax, it's just your poor future mother in law. I just want to tell you my gratitude for helping and ask you do you really think my brother did something with our family fortune?"

"My guess is that you didn't exactly leave them on good terms, and if I am right they could have cut you off their will. Or your brother could have lied to your parents about you being dead. Either way I intend to find out, and when I do and he did something crooked to you or by extension your kids.. He better pray to the maker, cause I will give him a sound beating. "

Leandra asked him why was he willing to do so much, specially the initial treatment he received. He smiled at he and simply said that family help each other, and that is why he was also doing the errand for his cousin as well after all. " Bethany is the light of my soul, her love my reason to wake up each day, and her smile my treasure. I guard the people I care about better than a full grown dragon guards his gold."


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

The ship finally landed and the sight was far more intimidating in person than he ever imagined. The city port gave the feel of despair and of abandoning hope of finding happiness or freedom here. It was aptly named the city of chains.

Bethany woke up to find Henry keeping an eye on her as she slept. She felt the ship hit the docks as they had stopped to unload cargo, today's cargo were refugees from Ferelden escaping from the blight.

"I am surprised they let the ship dock. " Garret showing some signs of relief. " I am more surprised they didn't just sick the ship while we were out to sea. I expect the templar will go to his fellow Mage hunters and report about me and Bethany. " Westley did look at them and smiled, " In another time, under different circumstances I would. But since I owe you my life and that of my wife I will keep your secret as my way of thanking you. But if you ever need my help be sure to talk to Aveline, we will always be willing to help our friends. "

As they walked towards the gate they heard so many people trying to get permission to enter. Henry did not shout, throw insults he merely walked up to the guard and asked if he could speak with the person in charge and did so by saying please and being polite. Something the group did not expect him to do.

The guard was happy to tell him where to find his Captain, and was going to do so because unlike the rest he showed true respect and manners when asking a favor from a person that you never me before. The Captain was arguing with a group of mercenaries that had spent all their gold to get to this very port.

"Excuse me, before you start a fight may I ask you a question? Or several if you would kindly answer them. " they did not think someone would dare to ask anything to them out of fear. The leader said to ask his questions. " Thank you, if you spent all your gold getting here why are you in such a hurry to enter a city were you will more than likely end living in poverty?"

The leader looked at him and smiled, "Because it is the only alternative I see, unless of course you have another solution." He looked at the Captain and walked over to him. "Securing this port must be a tough assignment. Are you sure you would not benefit in hiring these men to help with such an important duty?"

The Captain agreed it was a tough post and he was indeed in need of experienced people since he was always soft on personnel. The leader asked if instead of being let to enter he could provide them with work as his subordinates. The Captain agreed to recruit the mercenaries and as members of the guard they would earn a salary and be allowed to enter the city.

The Captain asked if they could do any favor for them for diffusing a potential deadly situation. Leandra just said if he could get word to her brother Tamlen, he had a estate in the rich part of the city. Since her family was nobility. "The only Tamlen I know is a swindler that doesn't have two coppers to rub together, but I will sent word of your arrival."

Garret and Carver both said the same thing. They did not like the sound of the possibility their uncle was this swindler that the Captain mentioned. "That does not make any sense. Our family was always wealthy and important. Why would my brother be this swindler the Guard Captain mentioned? And why would I not hear of it? If he was in need of money he would surely send me a letter."

Henry asked them to join him by a nearby wall that offered shade and a nice breeze. "May I offer an alternative explanation?" Leandra so no harm in listening to him. "Maybe he couldn't or more than likely wouldn't send you a letter. When you left with your beloved husband didn't your parents threaten you of cutting you out of your family and their will?" Leandra simply nodded her head and looked sad.

"No parent wants their child to suffer, so they may have threaten you to make you stay, but even after they saw your resolve in going with your husband they did not have the heart to abandon you. No matter how cruel and heartless a criminal is he is always her precious baby boy to his mother and father. "

" So the question is why wouldn't he send a letter? Maybe he liked to squander his money on fun and parties, maybe he spent it on easy women and a frivolous lifestyle, and maybe your parents got sick and he was the only one that looked after them thinking that doing so would make him the sole heir. "

Leandra did mention that her brother was a little reckless in spending their money. " So your parents died and then he finds the shocking truth your parents leave you to administer and receive the largest portion of their wealth. Why would he tell you? If he did he would not have access to all the money, and you would not let him spend it recklessly would you? "

Leandra saw the wisdom in his argument. " So maybe he is this swindler we heard from now, Henry what do you suggest we do? " Henry suggested that they think with a rational mind and not let their minds be clouded by sentiment. He advised them to always be cautious and never letting their guard down.

" I love Bethany, so I would not do something that would make her sad. But this swindler may come and take advantage of us, always be on guard. Think carefully before we agree to what this swindler offers. The swindler may want to use us to solve his problems for him and not just help us. "

It was two weeks before the supposed brother showed up, and he looked as poor as the refugees in the port. Leandra hugged her brother and he did not look happy to see they did not carry enough money to pay off his own debts, they did however carried enough to pay their entry fee.

During the two weeks the mercenaries now guards would sometimes sneak food for them or some water as a thank you for their actions. Many refugees sought Henry out to provide them with a sounding board to their troubles and to think thinks threw. He had helped a lot of people come to terms with their new reality and made the situation a lot easier for the Captain and the Guards.

Tamlen greeted him almost in a friendly tone, but there was an icy glare in his eyes as he refused to shake his hand. "So what can you do for your sister and her children?" Tamlen made excuses and said that their were a lot of wheels to grease and they required a lot of money to grease those wheels.

Leandra asked if he could use their family's fortune or influence to pay these so called bribes. "Unfortunately our family does not have much of either money or influence these days. I know of two groups that will pay off the right people but it would mean working for them for a year before you pay off the debt of paying off these officials."

Tamlen told them the two groups were a band of mercenaries and a band of smugglers. Carver wanted to talk to the mercenaries and Garret decided to hear what they had to say. The rest of the group went to talk with the smugglers. "

The conversation with the smuggler woman went easier since Henry looked like an elf. He found out through the usually expected double talk, that Tamlen owed a vast amount of money to these smugglers for good for one of his quick get rich schemes. Bethany to wanted to march where her uncle was and give him a rather nasty taste of her fireball spell.

Henry decided to talk to Garret and the mercenaries like to gamble, big shock there, and they had a debt by Tamlen on a rather high end poker game that he lost. "So in short both groups hold debt on your dear uncle and he wants to make us sign up with them to clear his debt with one of these groups and receive money to pay off the other."

Garret was practically spitting fire when Henry finished explaining that. "And he knows we have no other way to enter into this city. He will not stop there, if you are thinking the same thing he will continue to try and get use out of us after the year as a slave to one of these groups."

Henry looked at Tamlen and the at Garret. The look he gave him told him he indeed think so. "So here is what we do, we accept to work for them for a year, but we get the money we get paid. Tamlen doesn't touch a copper. If we are going to work I will not be used as a dairy cow for him to milk. As to the groups I favor the smugglers. I wouldn't trust the mercenaries enough to let them anywhere near Bethany. "

Garret, Carver and the rest accepted to work from the smugglers and Henry took care of all the negotiations to be particularly nice for the Hawke Family. They walked towards Tamlen and he was happy that they finally made a smart decision according to him. "So which group will you work for? , tell me so I can make all the arrangements."

Henry walked closr to him and smiled a very nice friendly smile. "That will not be necessary, we are working for the smugglers and I already took care of all the negotiations for us. Good luck paying off your debt with them and those mercenaries by the way."

Leandra did not like the sound of this, "I need an explanation of this so called debt and what you learned NOW." Henry did so just to make sure the lady did not have a heart attack. "So let me get this straight you planned to sell my children and our friends as slaves for one year to pay off your debts?"

"Well yes there is some truth to that, but I need the help and you are family. You can't abandon me in my time of need, would you dearest sister? " Leandra was not believing what she was hearing from her brother. Her answer was very short," Speak with my advisor. " She then pointed at Henry." A knife ears are you kidding?"

"I could see to decide to help you, but I would require several things. First a written and signed document that this debt will be paid back to your sister after one year. " Tamlen was screaming after hearing this, " SO I SWITCH MY DEBT TO THEM TO MY DEBT TO MY SISTER? WHERE IN THE MAKER'S NAME IS THE BENEFIT IN THAT? " Henry looked at him and said it plainly," With us you just go to prison if you do not pay, unlike them who will kill you."

"Fine, what else do you want? " Tamlen must be really desperate to accept to his first demands Leandra began to believe. " Second the original family will. " Tamlen was not looking rather afraid. " I wouldn't know where the blasted thing is, and I lost that house when I had no money to pay off the taxes." Now Leandra did believe his theory about why he never wrote to tell her how her family was.

"Without those two conditions my advice is to refuse him. I have made a very good deal with the smugglers and we will pay our debt for our so called entry fee in a single month. The rest we will get more than enough money to buy a home in a place called midtown. " Leandra knew she had her brother over a barrel and so did he.

" Leandra you can't be taking this knife ears advice seriously, I am your brother, your blood. You can't treat me like I am a complete stranger. Does blood mean anything to you anymore?" Garret was about ready to beat him senseless and Bethany to roast him like the pig he was. Carver just waited his turn to carve up said pig. Aveline was now more disgusted by him than the idea of working for the smugglers. Westley was about to ask Garret if he could help him beating his uncle.

"Sorry brother but so far my advisor has given me nothing but useful advice. So since you can not provide us with that will. There is nothing to be said. We will work our way out of this little port and you will just have to pay off your debt on your own. "FINE, JUST FINE, SOME FAMILY YOU ARE. YOU WILL NOT HELP ME IN MY TIME OF NEED."

He walked away screaming that she should have died with the rest of the dog lovers that died in whatever dump she and her loser husband ended up in. That was when Henry threw a knife at him. The knife barely missed him and stuck to the wooden gate to the exit to the port. "What I am just returning the knife I borrowed from a guard." said guard pulled the knife off the gate.


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

The Hawke family had many obstacles to overcome and one was that the debt they owed the smuggler group for paying off the right people to allow the group to enter the city. It did not take them long to pay off the debt, it was a few months at most.

As they entered the city they found that they needed a home, the estate of the Amell family was not available to them since they would need to prove that indeed Leandra was indeed in the will. Tamlen's reluctance at presenting the family will made Henry sure that his suspicious were correct.

"You guys have been some of my best crew I ever had, I am almost sad that you will not be working your magic for us. " Aveline and her husband told them they would be fine on their own from now on, she was applying to join the City Guard and her husband was simply going to report to the local Knight commander.

This left with the Hawke to make up a decision and since he had offered such good advice before, Leandra asked Henry what he thinks they should do? "I think we should continue to work with this fine smuggler group. We know that mostly their smuggling provided help to the needy, it's not like they are smuggling lyrium and other dangerous drugs. "

Garret asked him what was he planing. "Nothing major, we will need a basic suppliers of herbs and other apothecary components, but I am guessing that having friends in low places would give me and Bethany a heads up before a surprise visit by our not so friendly mage hunters."

"Well it is nice to see that you still worry about me. " Bethany was happy to hear he was thinking about her safety. " Any other reason we need to work with these people? " Carver did not seem to like the smuggler group leader. It couldn't be helped, he did try to ask her out on a date, and she just had to inform him that she was not into dating men. It sort of sour their friendship a little.

" We need to make it into our family estate to recover our family will. If we can prove that mother is the rightful heir then we can move to take back our estate. " Garret was clearly thinking ahead much like his future brother in law. " But that will require time and we need a place to live and earn enough money for all the legal representation we will need to reclaim our estate. " it seems Leandra was also thinking ahead.

The smuggler leader pretty much understood what they were going to say next and decided to cut to the chase." I can offer you pay work for as long as you need it. I can also tell you that the Amell estate is currently being used as a slaver den and it just happens to be a group we hate."

Leandra nearly fainted when she heard that her family estate was being used by a group of slavers. But as soon as she recovered she was mad, and she remember that the family made an escape route through the estate win cellar, and it lead to lowtown.

The smuggler leader agreed to help the family to clear their home of the vermin that infested their future home. It was a hard fought battle but at the end the found two things that made them feel that they would never forgive Tamlen for as long as he lived. He actually let the slavers operate our of the estate as a means to pay off a debt to them..

The second thing was that in the family will they named Leandra the sole heir to the family fortune. "No wonder the scumbag would not let us see the will. I think we should pay our dear uncle a visit." Carver was truly angry and he wanted to hear what this uncle would say about this betrayal.

Tamlen lived in a place not even a rat would call home. It was filthy, smelled like something came in and died and had one person who at the moment they arrived was drunk. "Leandra do excuse the mess, but thanks to you not helping me. I have to lay low from the people that want to take my debt out of my hide."

Garret walked up to him and grabbed him by the neck. "We found the family will uncle. Care to explain why you tried to swindle us? Your own family." Tamlen was not expecting them to ever find it, after all it was in a place full of bloodthirsty murderers and slavers. "I can explain.. Things aren't like they seem."

Leandra walked up to him and decided to tell him off once and for all. "Bullshit, It is exactly what it seems you tried to take all the family fortune for yourself, and when you found out you couldn't.. You sold off all our family jewelery and art. Care to explain that to me little brother or do I need my advisor to tell us what we should do with you? "

Tamlen knew he had no way to talk his way out of it. " Fine, you go off and abandon me and our parents to marry that worthless apostate. I am left to take care of mother and father through their worst part of their lives. Six bouts of colera, seven infections, up to my nose with puss and other stuff that make this house smell like a maker damned rose garden. And what do I find? My parents left me nothing and named you their sole heir. "

He stood up from the seat that he was sitting in after Garret let him go. " You better believe that I sold all the jewelery, painting, silverware and anything else I could. It was my right after everything I put up with. Then you had to come back here and find out the truth. I did everything I could to make the money last, made some bad investments and it just slipped though my hands like so much dust. "

Leandra told him that she was going to tell the city guard about this and that if he knew what was good for him he would leave the city and never return.

"Funny it isn't it, I tried to help you enter the city and now you are running me out of it. Some family you are. " Leandra agreed to work with the Smugglers for eleven more months and thus they would have enough money to survive the long legal process of reclaiming their family estate.

The Smugglers were a good option for them as they made enough money to buy a nice house in the residential part of the town and even managed to reopen the family apothecary. Henry was again right and thanks to all the friendly connections that they managed to make with suppliers. The business was booming and they became the best and most visited apothecary in the entire city.

Hundreds of people owed their lives to the Hawkes and their shop and thus the smuggler leader achieved one of her dreams improve the living conditions of the underprivileged that lived in lowtown, all except for Tamlen.

Tamlen wanting the successful apothecary shop for himself he made the worst mistake of his life, he tired to hire the very same mercenaries that he still owed money too. He tried to promise them that he would pay off the debt from the money he made from the business, or the sale of the business.

The mercenaries would hear nothing about it. They had become regular costumers of the shop, being a mercenary is a dangerous occupation after all, and thanks to the Hawke Apothecary they were able to purchase medicines that saved their lives many times. They consider it a matter of honor to put at end to the person that would harm their friends and this person's own family.

Tamlen was discovered in lowtown or what was left of him. He had been stripped to his birthday suit and bathed in oil and burned like a campsite roast. He was found as the rats in lowtown were feeding on his remains by the city guard. The people of lowtown simply joked and said even rats deserve a hot meal.

But even with their new home and financial success they would not have enough money to recover their family estate. It seems the true crooks in Kirkwall were not the Smugglers or the slavers it was the lawyers, and they did it all above board and in full compliance to the law.

The other good thing that happened is that Bethany and Henry were finally able to hold the ceremony and they officially became husband and wife. Leandra could hardly contain her tears of joy at seeing her daughter dressed in her wedding dress. It was a private ceremony only friends and family attended. Henry asked Garret to be his best man.

It was during the reception that a blonde haired dwarf apparently decided to crash the party. He of course said that he had good reason to do so. "The name is Varric Tethras and I hear you need a lot of money. Don't worry I did not blab to the circle and templars. I have come after hearing how you beat the most cruel slaver gang in Kirkwall and have come to propose a solution to both our problems. "

Garret asked the man to sit down and tell them the details of his proposal. " As luck would have it my brother and I have stumbled to a possible location to a lost thaig and we need muscle to provide security. That is where you come in, if you could defeat a band of slavers the guards were too scare to defeat themselves, you are exactly what we need. "

Henry looked at him and sat down as his wife placed her hands on his shoulders." But the thing is not going to be so easy, let me guess you need a road map to the lost thaig. How are we going to find a map to a network of tunnels that not even dwarfs possess. "

Varric smiled at seeing someone else was thinking ahead, "There is more to it than that. My brother wants to bring you in as labor, I want to bring you in as partners and that requires a lot of gold in short amount of time. So here is my proposal we do work together and I will help you gain your gold. With me working with you I will get to know you and thus make you more trusted by my brother. "

Bethany agreed to do so without thinking about it twice. " It just means we have to hold off on our honeymoon. " Henry was heard complaining that he was actually looking forward to finally being able to make sweet love to his beloved wife.. This made the entire group laugh..

The first job they got was to settle a dispute with a group of dalish elves that lived near Kirkwall. The dispute was easily solved thanks to the fact that Henry knew the elf language like he was born in Arlathan. The keeper a very Stern woman welcomed them. She told them they actually were waiting for them to get to their location.

An ancient friend of the dalish had asked them to preform a funeral service to a locket they were supposed to have brought to them a year ago. Henry apologized and told them he was so involved with trying to improve his family's situation that he completely forgot about the errand.

_"No harm done, I am sure your cousin had a wonderful time hearing and seeing your adventures till now. Now if you will take the amulet to my apprentice Merrill and she will instruct you on how and where the ritual will take place. We await your return child of the world tree. "_

A party made up of Garret, Bethany and Henry were chosen to go to Merrill and complete this long awaited task. Garret was the first to find himself speechless as he saw this black haired beauty, he did something he never did before or at least not in front of the current party. He began to flirt shamelessly with her, and for the most part she was actually responding to it rather in a positive way.

Bethany simply had to joke that maybe it was a simple case of love at first sight. This made Merrill blush several shades of red and Garret tell his sister that she was not one to the talk, she met her now husband the same way.

As the party climbed through the spider caverns and though hordes of the undead, they young elven beauty decided to ask him a question. A question that the others did not understand. _"Since when have you known the language of our people elder fruit of the world tree?" _Henry smiled at her and simply replied as honest as he could.

_"I had forgotten it for a long time, but thanks to meeting mother I was able to remember much, I expect my cousin Mythal will be very angry with me. " _ Merrill began to laugh at his answer and Garret and Bethany began to think he too was flirting with her." I am sure your cousin will be quite happy that you kept your promise regardless how long it took you to do it. "

" Care explain how long have you know the ancient tongue of the elfs husband? And are you being unfaithful so soon after our wedding? " Henry kissed her lips and whispered his answers to her questions. " All my life beloved, and no I was not being unfaithful it is just rare when I can converse with someone in the language I learned as a child from my mother. "

As they finally reached the summit Merrill performed the ceremony and much to everyone's surprised they found out that Henry had been carrying Flemeth inside the locket the entire time.

" Did you enjoy the adventure cousin? " Flemeth began to laugh." The only thing I missed was not being able to have a piece of the wedding cake. " Henry took a carefully preserved package and he gave it to her. She opened the package and it was a single slice of his wedding cake. It even had a fork for her to use. "I saved you a piece. "

"Ah, Falon'Din you always were a wonderfully caring cousin of mine. Thank you it sure was sweet of you to do so. " Merrill after hearing her call him that she had to ask if he indeed was the friend of the dead and why did she call him her cousin, should he be called her son?"

"Child the people have forgotten many things you barely know the language you once knew so well, you need to be more careful with your secrets and your history. Otherwise you might stumble and never be able to get up. "


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

Flemeth did enjoy the taste of the cake and she asked him if he remembered anything about the past. _"Truth be told much is still in a bit of a fog, I do seem to remember a few more things as time passes but nothing more than a few things here and there. I always wonder if I am here, who is taking care of the spirits of the dead?"_

Flemeth decided to tell him that the other spirits of virtue handle that since his long absence. _"While it was not exactly voluntary on your part it did make the fate a bit crowded with no one to guide the spirits of the dead. The people lost their long lifespan and I missed talking with one of my few level headed cousins." _Henry told her she could talk to him anytime.

"Since you had to do this ritual I gather my little niece actually believed what was written in your old book of spells, why do you let your daughter think you will just use her?" Flemeth laughed as she remembered the reason._ "She needs a motivation to leave, keep her guard up and mature. I always believed being a mother is a good way to make some reevaluate her priorities and mature." _

Garret simply asked her why she did not tell them she was inside the locket before giving Henry the locket. "For several reasons I may trust him, but you lot could simply sell the locket to get rid of it if you knew. I needed to be safely transported from where I was and you needed to escape the blight. Our needs just happen to coincidence."

Bethany asked two things that made Flemeth laugh. She asked how could she fit inside such a small place and how did she learn to turn into a dragon? "I simply placed a tiny portion of myself inside the locket and with the ritual you helped preform I was restored."

She walked over to her, "As to how I learned to turn into a dragon, how do you know it is not the other way around? How do you know if I am a dragon that learned to change into a human if only by changing how I look on the outside?"

Flemeth looked at Henry and smiled. "You sure picked yourself a very interesting bride cousin. I know she will keep you on your toes. I only hope she can keep you from doing something reckless. You always had a thing about helping others..."

As the group went down the long path Merrill began asking question after question about everything between Eluvians to ancient elf practices, for some reason she actually did not pay to much attention to the chat he had with his cousin. He had to remind her several times that he for some unknown reason did not have a complete recollection of his own past.

As they reached the camp he did explain several times that Eluvians were primarily used for communication purposes only. To used as a means of transportation was considered taboo, since traveling through one could and in many cases would taint the mirror on both sides since no mortal was completely pure of negative emotions or intentions be they present, past or future.

"So could a demon come through one? " The question made him look at her with a cold glare." yes, they could if someone was stupid enough to open the way out. He or she would be the first person the demon eats though, and he or she would be responsible for the thousands of people that would also be devoured by the very demon that they let out of the mirror. "

" So in short do not mess with Eluvians they are best left alone. Just like I don't go and poke a sleeping dragon in the eye... " She did not like the answer. As the keeper got near the group to ask if the ritual was completed. Merrill asked about recovering their people's history.

Henry had to put a stop to this or else a lot of people would die and she would be tormented by the results and things she would have done. "History is jaded by the person who wrote it and the perception of the one who reads it. Would do you be so eager if I told you the ancient elves were as cold and uncaring as humans are right now to our people?"

"In ancient times elves treated other races as the lesser races, only they lived long enough to consider themselves wise enough to deal with any situation or decide the fate of thousands and of foolish and immature races. Humanity was the ever the spoil, undisciplined brat that believed itself the master of the universe, yet they could barely keep themselves alive. "

" Dwarfs were treated as fools for believing that they came from the stone, their stubborn belief made them so much of a frustration to deal with that the elves left them alone, like something that you would only touch when you practically was forced to by circumstances beyond your control. "

" Injustice and discrimination can exist anywhere, it is not the sole domain of humans. Be careful what you seek Merrill because sometimes the answers you want are the things that cause you the most pain. Don't dwell in the past, respect it, learn from it, but always looking towards the future for there is where happiness may be found. "

Marethari was surprised by the wisdom in the young man's answer. " For someone that is so young in appearance, you certainly do give rather deep and complex answers. I see that you completed the task and now I have a favor to ask as well. I ask that you take Merrill to live with you in the shem city. It is for the peace of this clan. "

Henry looked at the pain in her eyes. " is it because she had begun tampering with an Eluvian? " Marethari could not deny it, this particular Eluvian was indeed tainted by the same taint as the darkspawn. " It caused the death of one of our greatest hunters and the loss of another whom I loved as my own granddaughter. As you said Eluvian should not be tampered with, the cost is too high for things that may be found some other way with more patience."

Merrill was not going to stand there and let the keeper talk about what she was trying to do and dismiss it as something either foolish or foul. "She was my sister in all but blood. I miss her and our friend immensely but I will not let fear stop me from reclaiming what we ounce lost."

Henry stood in front of her and looked at her. "Even if you will only find that many of your clan dead and you would have to kill your own keeper? Even as you would have the blood of so many on your hand and not find any answers at all?" Merrill became quiet and almost sad.

Garret tried his best to comfort her and asked that he try to be more kind to her. She was only thinking about the good of the people she loved so much. "I was being kind Garret, the loss would be more cruel than my words. Very well keeper, I will take her to live in the human city and will try to keep her safe."

As the group left the Keeper was seen whispering a few words of gratitude. She was able to find a place in the human lowtown district where the other elves lived. She did not seem to have realized the poverty all around her till she finally saw several teen elves offer themselves to have sex with them for a few sovereigns.

She did not wish to spend too much time so she asked Garret if she could help in their work. "This is the true work you should focus on. Improving the quality of life for these elves that have no one that can help them or want to help them. Leave the tainted Mirror broken as it is."

The group began to take more and more requests from all sorts of places in one they were hired to be bodyguards to a particularly dark skinned Captain by the name of Isabela. She loved to tease and make dirty comments if she was near Merrill she would make comments that made the rest of the party wonder if Merrill would faint from blushing too much.

"So Hawke what do you think about our friendly dalish Mage?" Garret asked which one was he talking about? "The one that has the tits, and ass you want to get to enjoy in your bed who else would I be talking about." Garret looked at Merrill, "I think that she is beautiful, intelligent, funny and passionate about what she believes in. I would consider myself lucky if she loved me half as much as I do her."

Isabela called him what a romantic guy he was and laughed. From that moment on Merrill began to understand why he would spend so much time with her or would try and make her smile or tell her jokes and give her a few things to make her life better. She in turn began to forget about the old mirror and instead focused on forming a support group to help her fellow elves living in poverty.

Carver was quite happy to see that his brother was actually getting to have a more intimate relationship with you dalish mage. So he tried to start a relationship with Isabela.

The whole attempt was a disaster, she flat out refused to have anything with him except an occasion roll in the hay so to speak. But being seriously involved with him not a chance. Friends with benefits or nothing at all. Carver accepted to be friends with benefits, it was not ideal but it was better than nothing at all.

The groups last two jobs before going on their website expedition was one where they helped smuggle a mage or at least they tried. Anders had a lover in the local circle of magi and he demanded that Garret and his friends help smuggle his friend out of Kirkwall, before his lover was turned tranquil.

The group agreed with the promise that he would give them maps to the Deep roads of the areas in the free marches. Anders told them they should hurry but Garret and Henry knew that they needed to be prepared for anything.

The request they obtained before going and meeting with their suppliers of information and goods in lowtown was to go in and obtain the goods from a chest held by a band of criminals in the elven settlement. Garret and his friends cleared the band of criminals and found the chest was empty.

As they stepped outside they realized that Tevinter Slavers had set it up as a trap. Henry's hate for slavers made him particularly lethal in his way of finishing off the slavers. His sword glowed a bright light and it seem to cut the slavers in half.

The one that made the request was an escaped slave by the name of Fenris. He told them that he was grateful for their help. "These slavers are here to collect and deliver property back to a magister, the mentioned property is myself. As thanks to you I will provide aid should you ever need it."

"I need a way to enter and exit the circle of magic's headquarters without being seen. Would you know such a thing. " Fenris told him that helping mages was always a losing prospect. The last mage that he had dealings with purchased him and branded him like cattle, the brands made of lyrium stole his memories, his past.

" my sister and her lover as mages and they risked much to help you. Help us save another person before he too is branded and loses as much as you. " Fenris told them he in fact knew of several ways into the circle and had mapped out most underground tunnels in the city.

" When escaping from a magister it helps to have sever escape routes. " Anders in the end was able to rescue his lover and the two men were happy to be meeting or so they said in their letters. The truth was that his lover had not been writing said letters. In fact his lover had been made tranquil the last time they had been able to meet with each other.

The entire plot for the escape was to be a trap for Anders so that the templars could capture him and any other apostates helping him and turn them all into tranquil. The fought hard and with use of his sword magic Henry helped the group kill the templars and escape.

Anders was good to his word and at long last they had the maps they needed for their expedition. Varric was sure they were indeed the people that he and his brother needed for their expedition as their partners.


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

The family decides Garret, Carver, Henry, Anders and Bethany should be the ones to explore the Deep roads. Varric said himself that he felt a whole lot safe with three mages to roast anything that would harm them from a safe distance. Garret wanted to bring Merrill but she was a little busy that week since she has the support organization she built to help elves around lowtown.

The journey turned out to be one long darkspawn infested journey in fact Carver wanting to look very masculine for Isabela did make him do something that Henry found completely and utterly stupid, and much Carver's embarrassment Bethany and Anders both actually agree it was stupid. Bethany pointed out that Isabela was not even in the expedition to see him do it.

As the expedition continued Carver began to show signs of being infected by the darkspawn taint. Thanks to Anders being present he was able to find a party of grey wardens to take Carver away and let him go through the initiation ritual or if he stayed they would have to kill him.

Carver left with only one request to Henry. "Don't you dare name a nephew after me!" Bethany was so upset at what he said, she expected him to ask to make her happy but this? "Don't worry when I do have kids you will not even be mentioned to them... Ever."

Carver left and the expedition continues until they discovered the lost thaig and what the party saw made no sense. Lyrium was supposed to be blue, but all Lyrium in the entire underground city was blood red. Henry saw Varric touch it and try to break a piece of it.

"Varric, trust me you do not want to touch this thing. It is not jewels or something precious this stuff is the stuff of hellish nightmares and if you touch it for too long you will lose your mind. "

Varric looked at him and smiled," So you do know what this lyrium is after all. Mind telling the rest of the class and why did you pretend that you never even seen it before?"

Henry looked at him with a great deal of anger in his eyes. "Because that blasted crystal is poison. You should not go near it, touch it and most certainly no use it. Thing is lyrium that has been corrupted by the same thing that made the darkspawn, in other words the taint."

"So for crying out loud stop touching the damn thing before you start telling me the blasted rock is singing to you. Cause if it does your mind is fried and we might as well kill you for public safety reasons alone. "

That made Varric stop and get far away from it as possible, he was not kidding. " Now I know normal lyrium helps us mages recover from a low magic reserve when we use spells to much. But believe me you do not want to use this thing. This pretty much tells me we will have quite the fight on our hands, and this stuff is so dangerous that even darkspawn avoid it. "

Garret asked why did say that they would have a difficult battle ahead. That is when the ancient rock creature appeared and tried to kill him. " That is a dwarf that ate the blasted thing or used it, or wore it as a piece of jewelry. " Henry blasted the thing to bits with his sword.

The fighting went on and on and it seemed that their was no end in sight. Barthrand seemed to actually be getting more excited as the group marched forward. He always seemed to have something in his hands close to his ear. "Leave him be, he is just scared by the horrible things in here. My brother my not look it but he is the sensitive type. "

They kept walking and walking and every once in a while the monsters seemed to be fighting harder and harder. "Why do I get the feeling that these things are trying to keep us away from something?" Anders just had to say that as he blasted a monster with his staff.

"I am almost envious of Merrill since she got to miss having nightmares about this for the next few months. " Bethany clearly was trying to use humor to make everyone feel better, and it was not working. Barthrand kept walking and looking around almost like he was looking for something.

In the middle of the thaig they found what looked like to be the center of the thaig. It was surrounded by badly damaged buildings and the spirits of dead dwarfs could be seen as ghosts walking as if the thaig was still alive and busy.

There they met an ancient looking golem. "So someone finally made it this far. Greetings, I mean you no harm. I am merely a demon that have been bound to this thing. Would you please listen to my advice."

Henry knew what he was going to say but then again things could have been changed by his presence. "I would show you all the way out but I must ask you to leave the riches and treasure that can be found here. I am a demon of greed and as such I feed on the greedy adventurers that come through here."

"If you promise to leave the riches and treasure alone. I will show you the way out. But if you try to take even a single gold coin I will kill you and you will become my next meal. " Barthrand told him he did not even want to leave," The precious is near here, I must find the precious. "

" Great does anyone else think Varric's brother is gone the deep end? Or is it just me? " Garret didn't have to tell him twice. Henry agreed with his statement one hundred percent. Henry had a pretty good idea what was going on and pretended to be like him." What does the singing tell you? "

Bartrand looked a little dazed as he looked at him and said." It tells me to find it, to worship it, to feed it... I must find the precious.. " Varric tackled him to the ground and in his hand which he was holding all this time to his ear was a large ball shaped piece of red lyrium. " So Henry was right and am I glad I listened to him and did not try to take a souvenir like my idiot brother did."

The foolish brother of Varric punched him hard and took off toward the biggest building in the thaig, it almost looked like a temple. "I found it, there is the precious, there is the precious where it has been calling to me." Varric and the rest of the expedition took off after him. "I know that you said we should kill him, but can't we get him some medical help? I know he is a greedy idiot, but he is still my brother."

"If you think we can get his mind back, then remind me once we are out of here to ask the same healer to look at you too. " Henry kicked the door open as he saw the blood stains around the edges of the door. Bartrand must-have forced the door shut as soon as he entered. He was found kneeling in front of a small display and there was something on the display stand. It looked like an Idol.

"Worship the precious, praise the beauty of the precious, kiss and love the precious, feed the precious.. " He kept repeating that over and over like a chant. " He is worshipping the red lyrium Idol, does anyone else finds that creepy? "

Garret had not a clue what the thing would do to him, Henry did what first came to mind, he used one of his most devastating attacks to try and destroy the Idol before it ever made it out of the thaig, if he somehow managed to destroy it then Knight Commander Meredith would not go complete psycho and many people would be saved.

The bad thing is Varric's crazy brother jumped and took the Idol from the pedestal and began to run away with it like it was more precious than their lives. He used a piece of iron to seal the entrance shut as he ran away saying. "Must save precious.." Varric looked at Henry and asked him why did he try to kill his brother?

"I am beginning to think insanity runs in your family Varric. I tried to destroy the Idol, if that blasted thing makes it out of here Kirkwall is going to be in deep danger. " Garret was having a hard time dealing with the door. " What makes you think that ? " Henry looked at Bethany and smiled as calmly as he could.

" The Idol was the thing that destroyed this thaig in the first place. All the red lyrium grew from the bodies of the dead dwarves in this city. They became so corrupted by it they never passed on and are trapped here as those rock monsters we been killing. "

Varric finally saw the reason as something he could understood. " So that is why you wanted to destroy it.. Too bad my brother ran away with it. " Henry picked up his sword and cast a spell through it not at the door but the wall next to it. The wall was destroyed and they were amazed at his precision. A few inches to the left and Garret would be dead.

" Instead of looking at the new opening, let's go we have to catch him and destroy that Idol or Kirkwall is next to be destroyed by that Idol. " Bethany understood right away and followed her beloved, after the two took off the rest decided to follow. Henry began to hold nothing back and began to blast rock monsters apart as soon as they appeared.

As they reached the exit to the thaig they heard a voice. "The first thing I asked was that you take nothing from the treasure. Then one of your companions runs away with the most valuable piece. I will make you pay for that theft."

Varric realized that the demon was not a colosal size golem and he did look particularly mad. "So let me get this straigh, my brother took that thing knowing this would kill us if he did. If I make it out of here I will kill him if the crummy Idol has not done him in already."

Henry looked at him and smiled at the demon in a sinister smile. "I am sure we have not been introduced. So allow me to do so now. I am Falon'Din and I will be delivering you to the afterlife today."

Energy began to flow from all the destroyed monsters and the blade began to change into a massive scythe. With a swing of said scythe he cut the golem what look like his arms off. He did not stop there and continued to cut the large golem to rubble.

_"May you be free of your burden and find peaceful rest at last. " _Henry's scythe seem to glow and the light illuminated a pair of black wings on his back. Varric remembered where he saw that scythe it was on a statue to the old elven God, the friend of the dead he was called if he remember correctly.

The path lead to a massive dragon and the Dragon looked like it was insane too. It sniffed Henry and then decide to fight him. It was as if the Dragon was told to watch out for him. The Idol no doubt put this dragon here to delay them even further.

The group working together killed the Dragon but tragedy struck as his sword having reverted back to a normal blade broke as Henry administered the killing blow. "Sorry Bethany, I guess I pushed the blade a little too much. Hope you can forgive me."

Out of the dragon's body she pulled a complete suit of armor silver with black highlights and a very sturdy looking sword. It looked like it was made out of the same metal as the armor. "Don't worry darling, just take it as fate and look at the new armor and sword I found. Brother is it alright if I give these items to my beloved?"

Garret smiled and told her she was more than welcome to do so. They would not fit on any of them, after all the armor was made for an Arcane Warrior like Henry.

As they made it to the exit and the looked at a side of the exit they found a treasure trove that would make each if them filthy stinking rich. "I guess this is the other part of the treasure the demon was guarding." Varric said as he did a quick account of all the wealth in the treasure trove.

As they made it back to the city Henry looked at Varric and spoke to him. " Varric we must find your brother and destroy the Idol. I know you care for him but we must do so even if it gets your brother killed." Varric smiled and told him not to worry he would use every single underworld connection he had and if he was to die Varric asked to be the one to kill him when they found him.

Henry and the others left towards their homes and he was not looking forward to telling Leandra the bad news that her youngest son was now going to be a grey warden. All in all she actually took the news better than he figured she would. "If he had stayed behind he might have chosen to join the Templars to keep you and Bethany safe. He would then eventually be forced to reveal your location and fight him."

She walked over to Henry and placed her hands on his shoulders and smiled. "This way you will not have to kill you brother in law to save your wife from being sent to the circle and you with her where you would be forced to live apart. As a Grey Warden he will not have to fight you either. So I say this worked out for the best. So stop looking so sad. "


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

The next morning Bethany asked where did the wings go? Henry smiled at her. "I don't remember having any wings.. I do remember sleeping with an angel though." Bethany punched him on his shoulder. "If you keep doing that I might show you how not so angelic I am."

Henry laughed and kissed her. "So someone got up this morning in the mood for a little loving then huh?" Bethany blushed bright red and kissed him to keep him from saying what she felt he would say next. "Maybe I just want us to think when are we going to plan for having children..."

Henry told her their was many things that needed to happen first. Leandra took care off all the paperwork and thanks to a good attorney she was able to recover their family estate and holdings. She saw also how close her son Garret and Merrill had become the term love birds would fit them as perfectly as it did Bethany and her husband.

The search Bartrand was not as long as one would think. He actually bought a estate of his own and Henry and Garret were asked by the Viceroy to investigate several disappearances in the area around the city had most of the high class homes.

"What are the chances that we find my good for nothing backstabbing brother here? " Varric asked almost looking hopeful. "The last thing I remember him saying was that he needed to feed his precious. I imagine he has been kidnapping people in other to make them sacrifices to the Idol."

"By the ancestors I hope you are wrong and that when he left us was plain greed. Because if he had done that by the stone of my ancestors I would have to kill him. " Varric looked almost sad when he said that. Deep down he hoped to reason with him, after even if he did betray him, he was the last family he had.

"If you start seeing ghosts and large spikes of red lyrium then we will know we are too late." Henry and Garret both took hold of their weapons and pushed the door. Surpringly the door was open but the thing that shocked him was that their was no ambush only an lot of bloodstains on the floor and the walls.

They walked through the place and found dozens if not more Carta members dead, almost looked drained from within. Each had a large whole their chest right above where their heart would have been. "I do not like the looks of this... We have to find what in the Hell he has been doing here and what killed those dwarves."

Varric began to follow but finally with Bianca in his hands. They walked towards a wine cellar and that is when they found two dwarves servants.

"Tell me what that crazy fool of my brother has done, tell me. " Varric told one of the dwarfs as he began to shake him with contained rage. " Master Bartrand was find for a few weeks, but then he started killing humans and elves his Carta guard brought him. Punched a whole in their chest and placed a red stone inside them. He did so why they were alive, the screams oh the screams they were horrible.. "

Henry walked over the female dwarf, " He must have run out of money or patience and he killed the guards the same way, Sorry Varric but I told you back then if you start hearing the blasted red lyrium sing it was too late. " Varric let go of the servant. "I know, but you don't understand he is my brother.. He is the only family I got.. And now I lost him to a damn piece of red colored lyrium of all things. Dwarves are supposed to be immune to that stuff to begin with."

"This lyrium is infected by the taint. I have a couple of theories about the nature of the taint, but either way we have to stop him or he will continue to do this.. I know that you care for him Varric but we either contain him or kill him.. We can not let him go.. " Varric looked sad and looked at him with tears on his face. It seems he never actually wanted to kill him after all.

Bartrand looked like he was licking a piece of the Idol he broke off. " Bartrand what have you done? How could you do this to so many people.. Answer me brother, where is the blasted Idol now?" Varric was doing his best to make his brother tell him and keeping his calm. Henry knew this was not going to be as easy as the others believed.

Bartrand kept muttering about some things that made no sense to the others, but perfect sense to Henry. "Scary lady has Idol, precious wants to be worshipped, precious wants to be feed so precious can grow.. I know I made a mistake, I know that I should have not given precious to the scary lady. You don't need to tell me that. I will make precious happy if I feed precious... "

Henry could not believe his rotten luck, the very thing he wanted to prevent by destroying the Idol came to pass, the scary lady was none other than Commander Meredith the single worst templar to get her grubby hands on the Idol. She was already insane and with the Idol. The tower would be an absolute nightmare for the mages.

Henry did not asked for permission from Garret as the group leader he simply walked over and gave Bartrand such a hard and anger filled punch to the side of his head that a few teeth came loose and was knocked out cold.

Varric was aiming Bianca at him as he walked close to him, "Unconscious it will be safer for you to decide what to do with him.. I say we tie him up to be sure, and don't point a crossbow at someone unless you are going to use it.. " Varric apologized but he believed he was trying to kill him. "For what he did and what will happen because of him, I should. The scary lady is no other than Knight Commander Meredith, I know her better than most and I can tell you, she is a complete fanatic. The reason why I would want to keep Bethany out of the circle is because I don't want her anywhere near her.. "

Garret asked what would happen to her now that she had the Idol. " Meredith is already crazy enough on her own, with the Idol we are talking a ticking time bomb, and when it goes off Kirkwall will be a ruin.. " Henry looked at Varric and saw him tie his brother.

"So what do you think the taint really is? " Varric had to ask him that question. "Insanity, magic infused insanity that came from the magisters that invaded the golden city. If I am right and we can cure Bartrand we might also end the threat of the blight and even save all the people infected with the taint, specially the grey wardens. "

Varric smiled as he heard that, " If that is they case we can't kill him. He might be the key to undoing the taint and ending the blight forever.. I guess we have to keep him alive. "

To those around Varric it sounded like he would take any excuse so that he would not have to kill his brother, but could anyone say they would do differently in his shoes? Henry knew that if anyone harmed a head on his beloved wife's head, he would probably do his best impression of an archdemon and kill the fool.

But the again he was always very protective of her, since he actually loved her a lot more than her brother would like ever figure. Garret saw that he did love her but he did not know the extent he would go to keep her alive. He would fight a horde of ogres single handedly if that was required to keep her safe.

They actually found a rather nice mental hospital for Bartrand and by nice I mean they would actually allow him and other researchers do studies on Bartrand. It was absolute luck that they actually obtained blood samples from no less than five speaking darkspawn. How did they obtained them Henry had not a clue, some say it was delivered by a man wearing bandages all over his face and arms, some say it was an elf that didn't look that healthy.

The analysis confirmed his theory as fact. The taint was a mental illness mutated into an actual physical form by the infusion of vast amounts of magical energy. In other words the maker had nothing to do with the creation of the darkspawn at all. The initial research on how to cure it came from a Mage by the name of Avernus.

It took him months to finally come up with a prototype of the elixir that he would use to try and cure the taint. Bartrand was the first and only person to take it. The elixir proved to be only a partial success. He regained his sanity for brief amount of time while under the influence of the elixir.

Henry theorized that he needed something to boost the effects so that the elixir effects became permanent. As far as the rest of the group this was a success and they told him so. He would not take the praise by them or his friends. "It is not a success until I find a permanent cure. I have to find it, I will make the world peaceful for my wife and my kids.."

Garret was soon to point out that they had no kids. "Don't worry darling, I am sure together we can figure it out, but seriously you need to take a break every once in a while and eat something healthy. You do make me worry so..."

Henry decide to take it easier and maybe do a quest or two just to relax, Garret and Henry took care of the fake assasin hunt and met a particularly bisexual elf who according to him had a rather nice relationship with the warden commander of Ferelden. He could not believe that he even tried to flirt with both Garret and when they finally met him.

It turns out the people hiring them was actually a band of his old accomplices that wanted to kill him because he actually killed the old master of their little assassin's guild and took the priced dagger out off the Grand Master assassin once he was done ramming it through him several times, while they rested from a rather passionate night.

"I do not see the problem, It was a gift for actually managing to kill him. It was Crow tradition after all. " Zevran said to his would be pursuers." After killing the Grand Master I had to leave since obviously I had nothing more to learn and since killing him I had no more challenging work left. I honestly do not see how they can not understand. They are a very stubborn lot, don't you think so Isabela? "

Isabela smiled after hearing this and specially since she found the attempts to seduce both of her friends to be rather amusing." Sorry Zevran, these two are spoken for.. How about we help you with your little killer problem. " The two friends defeated the assassins and didn't even looked tired doing so.

" Come on Isabela, don't be greedy, you can keep the one with the beard, but let me have the elf Mage. " Isabela was having some real fun with this... " I am married and this guy is my brother in law. To make it worse for you, I don't swing that way, and Merrill will kill him, Bethany would kill me if we even think about cheating on them. "

Garret looked at Henry and smiled, " Then they would resurrect us, so can kill us all over again. We aren't doing anything even remotely romantic with any one other than our wives thank you very much. "

Zevran laughed at the two friends being so controlled by their significant others. "Well you are the only ones missing out, cause I maybe should not say this about myself, but I am an incredible lover as Isabela can testify to." The two men looked at Isabela and she indeed said he was.

Henry pulled Garret aside and told him in whispers, "And Carver actually wanted to date and marry her.. I think he is a lot safer with the Grey Wardens, don't you think so Garret?" Garret was simply nodding his head in complete agreement.

Isabela had sneaked behind them and had both daggers in hand. "I heard that, I think you two need to relearn some manners when speaking about a delicate and sweet lady like myself." Garret was the one to turn around and reply, "Which part is the delicate and which is the sweet?"

Henry was staring at him and he grabbed him while they took off running. "Why you..." Isabela came running after them. Zevran sat down on a rock and laughed as he saw her chase them. "GET BACK HERE AND TAKE YOUR PUNISHMENT LIKE MEN." Zevran smiled as he left them to their antics. "Like I said Isabela never a boring moment with you, have fun..."

After a few concussions and a couple of cuts and bruises Isabela felt like the two men had enough punishment. They made it home and they each said the same excuse to their wives. "We fought a band of hired killer and did not make that much from the job request. Boy are we tired..."


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

"Ok, first things first.. You want us to do what exactly? " The Viceroy looked rather upset at the group as Henry asked that." Didn't someone tell you why I needed to meet with you. I would think you being friends with my Captain of the Guard, she would tell you why I asked her to contact you.

"Your people don't want me anywhere near here, something about drawing the unholy wrath of the knight commander down on your heads.. So when exactly would I have a chance to talk this her? And more importantly when? You never give her any time off. "

Viceroy Dumar was having second thoughts about the effectiveness of his advisor. He got the impression that he was the one that wanted to keep him away from the government building."Accept my sincerest apologies. I need you and your friends to help me when several matters regarding the mages at the Circle. Commander Meredith asked that I mediate between you two to maybe do the city a few favors. "

Henry looked at him and with a glare in his eyes he looked at the man."If that psychopathic bitch tries to make us either tranquil or be part of her little circle.. I will fight her and leave her unable to eat solid food. But if she dares to harm my wife.. I swear that not even the maker himself will be able to hold me, and I will bath the circle in templar blood.. "

Marlowe actually smiled as he heard him say that," As would I in your situation. Trust me that this is for the good of the city and no she will not touch you or your friends. I promise that if I could resolve this another way I would. "

Garret looked at both of them and accepted. " First task is to find the real reason for the Qunari for staying here, and how to resolve it. The Chantry and they are going to go on the war path if this situation is not resolved. "

Henry again looked at the man and asked to be given complete temporary control of the guards." Is that truly necessary?" Henry's glare told him his answer and it was a yes. "We need to find a criminal, a thief and a smuggler. I will use my own contacts but we need a complete search of every possible hidding place.

" I imagine they do not find being here much to their liking. It probably is as enjoyable as camping in a sewer to them. While you search I will talk to the Arishok. Hopefully I can buy his enough time to find this criminal and return to the Qunari their stolen property. "

The Viceroy promise that he would do everything in their power to capture the man as soon as Henry finished describing him. Henry and Garret looked at each other and they went to the docks with Isabela. As they walked through the entrance of the docks. Henry pulled Isabela to a place that was not easy for people to overhear.

"If you wanted to get frisky with me I advice against it. " Henry glared at Isabela." I know about the book Isabela, you are the reason why the Qunari came here in the first place so don't give me any grief. The Arishok can not leave without it, and believe me that he would gladly kill all of Kirkwall to get the book. So where is your acquaintance and where can we get the book? "

Isabela looked at him and could not believe he knew everything and he also knew about the lie he told Hawke and his family and friends. " The slimy bastards took off with it. I been trying to find the book too.. It's worth the Arishok's weight in gold from the Imperium. " Henry glared at her and asked what was more important the innocent lives of thousands of people or her bloody gold which could be a lie by the Tevinters.

" Do you honesty think they will leave if we had over the book? " Isabela was not so convinced." If I get the Arishok to promise, he will fulfill the promise or have to kill himself. " Isabela took them to the usual hidding places where Stan the would hide. He found Stan or more like what was left of him as he tried to run away and a Tevinter Mage killed him and summoned a group of demons to kill them.

It was a big mistake by the Tevinter he was clearly no summoner. The shades instead of attacking Hawke and his friends they attacked the Mage and took him over. Four shades took over the Mage and he became an abomination. Henry walked over and took the tome and killed the abomination without even using magic.

"You know this is what would happen to you if you delivered the tome to them.. Think about that hard and tell me what you think about it when we get back from talking to the Arishok. " Henry, Garret and Fenris went to talk to the Arishok. Fenris asked why would he be needed? Henry told him he was needed because he was the only one among them than knew the Qunari faith.

The guards reluctantly agreed to let Henry and his friends speak with the Arishok. "I know why you are here and I know you hate being here. So let's not waste time. I want a promise that you will call for a ship or build one yourself if I recover your holy tome."

The massive Qunari actually smiled as he heard him talk. "It is so refreshing to hear someone go directly to the heart of a matter in this cesspool of a town. Indeed if you get the tome to me I promise to do as you say."

Henry walked over to him and looked into his eyes. Henry reached for something and the other Qunari expected a blade but instead it was a carefully wrapped package as to insure that no harm came to the package. "We found the criminal responsible and he is dead. We return to you that which you value more than the lives of this entire city."

The Arishok took the package and smiled as he realized it was indeed the tome. "Very well it will take some time but we will leave as soon as we are able. Are you from a town called Lotherin by any chance?"

"That I am, I do believe I gave a Sten of yours some advice. I believe he completed his assigned task then.. No thanks are necessary.. I merely did as honor dictated. " The Arishok indeed told him his Sten did report on this.. " I would like your opinion on his place, I do not understand how people can live in this chaos.. "

Henry walked down and simply looked at him." There is no chaos, only complexity. They are the way they are because the suffer since they do not know themselves. Can you say you have become a master of your self? Suffering is a choice and we each have the choice to deny it or not. "

The Arishok watched the elf named Henry and his friends leave and he had a smile on his face. "Life is full of wonders, to think I would find a bas a foreigner use the Qun to explain this city... Will wonders ever seize..."

A warrior came to Henry and asked him if he knew who he is. Henry smiled and looked at the young Qunari. "I am Falon'Din I know who I am, and when your life ends you do well to remember my name, if you behave with honor I shall guide you to a peaceful place to rest."

Several elfs wondered why Henry said he was the friend of the dead. Henry walked towards Isabela who was hiding behind some crates. "Isabela, you can have all the gold in the world, and it will not fill the emptiness in your heart. It does make life easier but that is all it does."

Isabela asked if he knew what it meant to lose something truly valuable. "How can you speak of my loss, and expect me to listen when you have not lost anything equal to what I did?" Henry began to walk towards the exit to the docks and he turned around. He looked at Isabela and told her to follow.

"I have lost much in my life Isabela. I lost the home of my parents, the love of my cousins and the place where I once enjoy the company of my oldest friends. I only recovered my beloved mate by pure luck. I know loss Isabela, better than anyone can. "

She laughed and asked what would he do if Bethany was taken from him by fate?" She was once already Isabela, I would look for her once again.. Until I was with her again.. The chantry is wrong about so many things.. Do you think I should teach them how wrong they are? "

Isabela laughed and said if he ever managed to get anyone in the Chantry to admit they were wrong the maker would appear and call it a miracle. " No, he would not. He would only tell me job well done and be on his way.. "

Isabela was looking at him rather confused. "Don't tell me you are one of these people that think the Maker speaks to them? You always looked rather sane to me." Henry smiled at her and answered her comment.

"In the past of course I talked with him, even played some games not so much recently he is a little bit under the weather no thanks to those shem that invaded our home.. Black city.. No I want to give these bastards a black eye for what they did."

Isabela laughed as she told him so would most of Thedas. "If I really wanted Isabela I could turn the world on in it's head and I don't even have to try hard. Care to listen to some more of my crazy ideas or have you had your fill yet?"

Isabela told the group to follow her to a bar called the hanged man. As they entered and they sat down Garret ordered something for everyone. "If you want to speak crazy no better place for than a bar that is also the same place Varric calls his home."

Henry took a sip of his mug and looked at them. "The Maker is the first elf ever born, and he made every single race with his magic. Andraste is also an elf but she decided to be born here to check on mortals, she fought to for the freedom of a lot of different people."

"That is why when she supposedly died she did not make such a struggle to resist. She was just going back home to her husband and children. Those children are the Elder elven gods and sadly enough also the Tervinter ones as well. I am Falon'Din or Dumat by the Tervinter faith. "

Every one on the table paid attention almost wanting to miss a detail. Garret was the first to talk and ask with a serious look on his face." So everyone is wrong and you are the Son of both the Maker and Andraste? " Henry simply took another drink from his mug and nodded his head.

That was when every person in the Tavern began to laugh their heads off. " Honestly Henry you have one of the worst sense of humor in the world. You know that? " Henry smiled and said that they wanted to listen to crazy things and so he was happy to lighten their mood.

Varric looked at him and smiled. "If I were to print that I would have a bounty on my head by every group in the world, except for the Dwarves and Qunari it would seem." Henry told him that he was not surprised. "People want to think they are right, that they know everything that is right and they hold onto it for emotional support no matter how truly wrong they are."

"So tell me Dumat why did the old gods tell magisters to visit the golden city? " Isabela was trying to make fun of him." Simple Isabela they wanted them to learn truth and stop their discrimination against the other races, much like dear mom tried to do. They did and went insane and thus we have the darkspawn and the blight. "

Bethany was laughing and having some fun time by the time the group each decided to make it to their homes. " So tell me how long have you been in love with me Henry? " Bethany clearly wanted to know the answer to this as they got comfortable in their bed. "Since the beginning of time my love, since the beginning of time.. I am just happy that after so long looking I finally found you again."

The next day they reported their success to the viceroy and he was very happy to hear of their success. The second quest was to go and meet with Knight Commander Meredith and she would tell them their next missions. He of course told Henry not to worry they would not be made part of the circle by force.

They went back to the dock where they entered the city. The captain greeted them and so did the leader of the Smugglers they had worked with. He told them both to try and be friendly to each other. The captain actually said that the mercenaries that he hired were some of the best guards they ever had in the dock.

The smuggler leader told him he was ready to receive any orders that Henry or his friends needed in a hurry. He left while smiling and saying that it was what friends are for, to help each other.

"Here to see your Knight Commander, keep your wits and your weapon out of your hand and we will not have any trouble. " Garret was not taking chances as he spoke to the knight that was the doorman to the circle." Worry not, we have been told to expect you do come in. "


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

If Henry was trying to hide his borderline rage and need to kill, he was actually not doing such a good job doing so. The temperature in the corridor he was walking through dropped 50 degrees in less time it took the templars to start shaking from the sudden feeling of cold in the corridor.

As they walked in Merideth was actually smiling and doing so while watching Henry walk towards her with his friends shivering from the sudden cold. "So nice of you to come, you just walked in and now I am so nice and comfortable. The heat today was positively murder with this armor, but thanks to you I can actually feel comfortable."

She walked over to him and smiled in a more seductive way."You keep making this comfortable and I might decided to tell the viceroy to go and stick his order and keep you around just so that you can keep the temperature like this.. Relax, I will not do anything to you. I only want you to investigate a few things. Some suspicions of blood magic use and locate a band of apostates that were supposed to be moved to this circle. "

Henry smiled and looked at her with a glare." What is going to stop me from lying to you? I am a Mage myself, and your skills don't do much against my brand of magic... How will you know if I simply lie to you about both of these apostate groups? You wouldn't know if I was telling the truth or a lie."

Merideth laughed as he heard his words. "Now this boys and girls is called having a spine. Got to tell you it is so refreshing seeing someone who is so honest about what he can do... I almost makes me wish I was the girl next to you... I would know if you told a lie because you would not be the only group I sent to look. "

She looked at the others in the group with her own killer intent noticeably seen in her eyes." You may be right that I would not be able to do much to you, but that does not mean I would not be able to do something to your friends.. If I had enough time I would love to see how different your magic is compared to these mages, a spar would be such a fun thing. "

" A spar would be nice but these criminals aren't coming and surrendering to you to be polite. Who do we see about the info about our suspects and their abilities." A very mature elf walked toward him and smiled at both of them. "That would be me, I am the first enchanter my name is Orsino."

"Now if you will excuse us Knight Commander I do believe I have a few things to tell them about the suspects before they can do their work. " Meredith told them they were free to go, but if they had any more questions that were not answered by the first enchanter to ask her tranquil assistant.

The group left and walked towards his office. " You need to hide your desire to kill better. I do imagine she has very much the same desire towards you so she did not notice, but you are not a shem you should know better." Henry looked at Orsino and smiled."If I appear weak they will think I am easy to push around.. I knew full well that she wanted to provoke into fighting her. "

" It is bad enough that they want me to do what could be called a witch hunt on my own people. I know for a fact that if I do find those apostates and supposed blood mages I will suddenly be surrounded by one of her templar units.. So instead of sarcasm I need something so that I can save the lives of those mages.. So far all I can think is far fetched or unlikely at most. "

Orsino smiled and asked what options did he consider."Either getting you to name me unofficially your second in command, that would get me enough leverage to negotiate a peaceful surrender. The negative is that I would be considered a part of this jail. " Orsino wanted to correct him but he had to admit the circle felt more like a prison than anything else.

" The other is a letter giving authority to negotiate and decide on circle matters. But that would severely open you up for character attacks and possibly a move to have you removed as first enchanter. " Orsino knew he was right of course. " What about the option of working for Meredith or the Aroshok"

"Qunari treatment of their mages makes what you suffer here look like a vacation . They live, breath and sleep in their own cages and are constantly under the control of a handler. As a foreign mage it would be suicide.. Working for the Knight Commander is just as bad... "

First Enchanter Orsino actually began to smile to see that the Arcane Warrior in front of him did care about his fellow mages, even though he always was against the very notion of the circle. " As to the rumors of blood magic are spread out in the population, it has been pretty clear this group is in a small cave South of Kirkwall. The apostates might actually be in the opposite direction."

"Because blood magic tend to imply mind control and these apostates actually would avoid it as much as they are trying to avoid the circle and the templars. " Bethany decided to contribute to the conversation and Henry had to agree with her for the most part.

"So we have to wonder around Kirkwall and looked for long forgotten mines and excavations." Garret told both his sister and the rest of the people in the room. "Make sense that way they would avoid the occasional cave in." Varric knew all to well the dangers of a cave in.

"As to what you shall do. I had prepared the letter giving you authority to decide and negotiate before you came, call it my need to be prepared for the unforseen circumstances if you want. As to the challenges to my authority, I would not worry too much if I were you. I did not become First Enchanter without knowing how to handle peer pressure. "

As they were ready to leave he looked at Henry and decided to ask him to clarify a rumor he heard from several people." Before you go I would like to ask you to clarify something for me. I heard several rumors that have troubled be quite a bit and I would like to hear your words on them. "

Henry sat down and waited to hear these so called rumors and he would do his best to put the man at ease if he could. " I heard that the maker is the first elf, that the old gods are in fact his children and that he made the other races and that you are the friend of the dead and the a tervinter Old God. That you have gone under the names of Falon'Din and of Dumat."

Henry smiled at him as he finished saying these things. "They are not rumors Orsino. They are fact, I was named Falon'Din by my father when I was born. I was called Dumat while I tried my best at subtly educate the children that came after my siblings. They needed so much help, at least at the beginning. I go under the name Henry nowadays because most have forgotten me."

Orsino then asked a question that he needed to hear the answer to, "Why did you tell the magisters to enter the golden city?" Henry knew this was a question that was bound to happen. "I dislike discrimination Orsino, I saw that the Tervinter Imperium was so full of discrimination against the other races that I felt they needed to see the truth for themselves."

Henry looked troubled as he continued. "But I failed to realize that they would have other intentions of going ahead with the journey to my father's domain. I told them many times to leave their personal desires and more importantly they dark feelings behind, to seek only truth. But they did not listen and when they entered father was injured by their evil intentions. "

Henry looked at the window and then at the face of Orsino. " Father went into his regenerative shell and has been sleeping ever since. When they failed to take the power they sought they turned on each other spreading they sins over the city as they found my father's throne empty. They became the remade by the darkness in their hearts which became an illness you call the taint.. And thus became the very first darkspawn. "

" All those dragons were simply infected by this illness that has destroyed so many people in so many ways. I hope this answers your questions Orsino. Before you ask me why I share this, it is the same reason I have always done before, to educate and to allow you to grow to see the truth. "

Orsino was not ready for such revelations and did not know how to respond. He was however unsure what would happen if he indeed told the Chantry they have been wrong the entire time. The old elven gods were real and they were a part of their faith. Years of persecution against those that did not believe like they did, turned out to be ignorance and the violence of the foolish.

But if he said the things he just learned he would be called a heretic and more than likely end up being executed for trying to tell them the truth. He began to wonder how much of the chant was actually true and how much of it was simply there to make the priests and mothers' own power.

He began to wonder also if they made the circles as a place for the same education of the mages or it was as Henry said a prison to hold in the people that frightened them and were powerful enough to actually opposed them.

Henry and the others found the cave of the blood mages first, the stench in the air inside the cave told them not to expect either a fight or a possible possibility for a happy ending to this particular search. It turns out that the two most powerful blood mages became abominations and killed the rest of the mages, it was a man and a woman. She became possessed by a pride demon and he by a demon of desire if they way they looked was any indication.

Henry tried to knocked them both out so that he could enter their dreams and try and free the mages, but they would not let that happen and Henry and the others ended up killing them both. It was a rather sad thing for Bethany she hoped that they could be reason with but it was simply not meant to be.

The group of templars told them they would take care of the funeral arrangements as soon as they exited the mine where the blood mages had been. Henry knew they would be followed and this pretty much confirmed it.

The second group was found not far from the first in an old abandoned excavation. The ruins were grand and the apostates instead of hiding were actually continuing the work the previous people had begun. When Henry asked them why they took time instead of reporting to the circle like they were supposed to.

A young lady mage told them that indeed they did, and she had written documents where they were given explicit orders by the Knight Commander to continue the excavation of the site. The previous workers had stopped because the place was infested with some of the most foul and dangerous monsters they even met.

"Would you say the monsters looked like rotten golems? Or golem in terrible conditions? " Varric asked the mages and indeed the young lady told them that they did look like the way they described. " So Commander Meredith is trying to get herself a supply of red lyrium. I imagine she planes to do something with the Idol she got from my brother. This is not good."

Henry told them that First Enchanter Orsino sent him to tell them to return to the circle and report on their findings, it would not do if they lost information on the historical site simply because they did not report on a regular basis. Henry handed her the letter showing he indeed have the authority to tell them to do this.

Again the group of templars showed up and escorted them back with the supposed apostates back to the circle. Henry had to use the letter once again to stop the templars from executing the supposed apostate mages the minute they entered the tower. "Seems like the Knight Commander did not want anyone to learn what she ordered those mages to do."

First Enchanter Orsino was waiting to hear what happened in both instances, he was very happy to see that he managed to get back one of the groups he went looking for. "So your telling me that the blood mages killed themselves because they practiced blood magic?"

Henry smiled and he sat down. "The more a person practices blood magic the easier it is for a demon to possess the mage. If they had been possessed recently and by a low rank demon, I could try to enter the fade and separate the connection between the mage and the demon, but this time it was impossible in both accounts. "

" The desire demon was practically welcomed to possess him, and the pride demon is one of the toughest and most power demons it will not relinquish their connection since it is a matter of pride for them. " Orsino asked how did he know the desire demon was welcomed.

" The mage had little change in his physical appearance. This means he was a willing possession or worse he actually called to the desire demon in the first place when he saw his other friend be possessed by the pride demon and started killing off their friends. " Orsino understood that they did everything in their power to.

" I would like to know if you have any idea why Meredith wanted that site excavation continued." Henry looked at him with a rather cold look in his face. "I think she wants to get her hand on red lyrium. Normal lyrium is blue, this stuff is contaminated by the disease that create darkspawn. There are several things you have to do when in the presence of this stuff."

Orsino listened intently and if his life may depend on it. "You do not go near it, you do not touch it, you do not ingest it, you do not wear it as jewelery or in your armor and most importantly you do not use it no matter what circumstances. This thing should be treated as the world's most corrosive and deadly poison. "

Henry got up from his seat and he was thanked for his work," I trust you can take care of the reports to the Knight Commander da'len. The less I have contact with her the better. Dareth shiral." The group left a rather amused and laughing First Enchanter. "I swear it was almost like I was the boy getting a lecture by a keeper in a dalish clan. Oh well I suppose considering who he is I am a lot younger than he is..."


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own the Dragon age series, this is only a fan fiction.

Bethany woke up the next day in bed with Henry and she felt like staying a little longer as she felt his arms wrapped around her waist. "Honestly I feel so happy to be here, why do we need to go and collect more gold Henry." Henry looked at her and smiled,"For starters we need it to keep the circle from taking us and separating us.. For second we need it for basic needs and equipment upgrades and maintenance. "

"I guess you are right, but sometimes I wish we could spend a little more time alone like this, I can't get enough of being here with you, so close I can almost feel your heart beating." they both got dressed and they went to the meeting place. Varric was already there trying to flirt with a rather upset dwarf lady.

Henry got close to see Hawke was actually having better luck with Merrill by the looks of it. Anders was the same pessimist as ever, Henry guessed that being an apostate and escaping from the grey wardens made his life a never ending escape, but why would he come to the meeting point which was right in front of the worst place he could ever be, the chantry.

"Garret don't tell me you are calling off all board request for the day and going to go off in a romantic date with Merrill instead? You could have just posted a note by my door you know. " Garret smiled and it was clear this was not the case," No far from it the Arikshok sent a request to the viceroy and asked for you specifically. I guess he wants to know if you could help him with something else. "

" I swear on my father's honor that I am not a follower of the Qun." Merrill smiled and nodded her head, "My keeper would have tried to kill me if I dared to insult the elven gods by doing that." that was when Henry smiled, "Well on the behalf of my family I thank you Merrill for your devotion and loyalty. Sorry I messed up your potential date da'len."

The group went to her place to pick up something she forgot in a hurry. "Garret we both know you love Merrill why don't you ask her to come and live in the Manor. I know she would be better off there. Your mother could use the company too."

Garret looked serious and touched his shoulder, " I asked her something more than move in with me, I asked to outright marry me but she said that their were many elves than still needed her help and she will not abandon the people that she promised her aid to. Maker knows I would sleep a whole lot better with her nearby. "

" Well let's take care of every single request we can get our hands on, if we do maybe enough we can get her to actually consider to marry you, I can tell you it is a very nice experience some times and as long as you listen to your wife and keep her happy the bad times can be avoided sometimes. "

Garret looked at Henry and began to wonder how he managed to keep his sister happy." Would you hate me if I called you whipped?" Henry laughed at him and said that he would not even deny it. "I am whipped but as long as she is happy, I now that I will be happy as well."

Varric ended up telling them of a young man that was apparently trying to escape Kirkwall and that he tried to get him to find him someone who could smuggle him out of the city, Henry and Garret decided it was time they talked to the mother. "It is true my son wishes to leave this city but he has had no luck finding anyone that would take him. He heard of an lyrium addicted former templar, I ask you please take my son from this city, he is a Mage with an extremely rare gift."

Henry knew that if Meredith found out that this elf was capable of manipulating their world through his actions in the fade, there would be no power on all Thedas that would stop her from making him a tranquil. Varric was quick in finding the former templar and he explained that he indeed told the young elf of a group of Smugglers and even told them where to find them.

They operated out of lowtown and they were not Smugglers but actually tevinter slavers. They actually admitted to Henry and Garret that they indeed gave the former lyrium for any people that he found that wanted to be smuggled out of Kirkwall, they would smuggle them but in fact it was to be sold as slaves.

The Tevinter slave master was almost happy that they came to find them. "It is so nice to find people foolish enough to listen to me and be forced into slavery." His muscle showed up. "You will tell us where the boy is and where did you get the lyrium to pay the templar or you will die."

The men around him began to laugh as if they had been told the funniest joke ever. "You are surrounded 20 to one and you think a filthy knife ears is going to defeat us. How about if my men show you some proper manners slave!"

The men tried to attack him that was when he took out his blade and with a weird light coming from it he made a horizontal slash and where the slash was made a wave of energy was sent and it cut every single men at the knees and they all had their legs bellow the knees cut off. "Tell me what I want to know and I will let you go free." The last man told him that the ones to transport the slaves were in a cave on wounded coast.

In the cave they walked in Varric, Garret and Henry. The man they were looking for came out with his thugs, it appears the disgraceful former templar tip them off. "Not another step, tell me why do you make such a fuss about a filthy knife ears? If I chose to sell him into slavery why should it matter to you?"

Henry was the first to respond. "Because we been hired to make sure the boy returns home safely by his father. You are holding the illegitimate son of the Viceroy and his elven mistress."

This made the man drop the knife he was holding to the young man's throat. Varric took this as his cue to put in some more reasons for them to fear. "The very boy he said he would burn the entire free marches to avenge, and would hunt down the people responsible down to their families dog."

This made the other thugs around him looked like they were ready to piss their pants and start running. "We had no idea we were holding someone so important, please take him and the other slaves as an apology to the Viceroy. We did not mean to cause him any problems and give him cause to feel any anger towards the free marches."

The thugs and their boss left in such a hurry some where even tripping on their own feet. The young man walked up to Henry and he was glaring at him. "Why did you have to interfere? I could have been sold to a magister and receive some training and escaped the threat of Meredith making me a tranquil."

Henry walked up to the kid and slapped him across the face and hard. "Wake up, magisters do not train elven slaves, they treat them like animals it is more than likely that you be used for as a material for a ritual or a training dummy for his kids to learn to use blood magic." The young man touched his jaw and realized that he had not considered that.

"What am I supposed to do? If I go to the circle I am either made tranquil by their Mage hating Knight Commander or killed as an apostate. " Henry saw the desperation in his eyes. " Or you could go and live with the dalish. I happen to know there is a clan nearby and they would welcome you but it would be a humble life. "

The young man looked at him and smiled," More humble than a life in a rat infested alienage? I doubt it. I happily accept sleeping on the ground and eating roots if that would keep me from ending up a tranquil or a corpse. "

When they went back to the keeper Henry asked to speak in private with her. Bethany had some concerns about it till the Keeper told her as a joke that Henry was not a Craddle Robber. When alone he told her to sit down," I know the real reason why you sent Merrill away, and you do not need to worry I will do everything in my power to save her, but this had other consequences. "

" Merrill is currently in love with my wife's brother and even if I stop the demon from escaping using the mirror, she might not decided to return to the clan. I need a favor from you da'len I need you to teach and train the young man I can with he is a dream walker. You and I both know how dangerous one of them can be if not trained properly. "

Mirathari looked like he was telling her a joke." If you want me to do you this favor I need for you to be completely honest about your identity. Henry is not an elven name, who are you really. " He asked if they had an Idol of the friend of the dead. She told him that she did in her home.

They walked over to the statue and he looked sad as he saw it." This was made when I was very sick and almost was on the verge of dying. I recovered from this and looked like I do now after my recovery. I am Falon'Din and I was a very good friend to the people who entered their long sleep, I kept them safe in the beyond. "

Henry began to write something that she could barely believe it was real. It was his name in ancient elven written language." Da'len you love Merrill almost as if she was your daughter. Do not make your daughter cry by dying in her arms. Do not make the pact with the demon. "

The keeper was almost taken back by how much he knew, she really shouldn't be that surprised since he was who he said he was." Why would you concern yourself with us? I do believe you have abandon us before. " The way she said it sounded almost like an accusation more than anything.

"When the magisters entered my father's domain we did not expect them to go to try and butcher him and take the seat of all creation for themselves. In hindsight we should have since we could see how they treated those they felt that were lesser than themselves. I was sent to another dimension to heal from my injuries, so far I only met Mytharal and she was forced into taking refuge in a human. "

" I did not abandon you, I tried my best to end the discrimination of the elves and other races in the Tervinter Imperium. My attempt was the biggest mistake of my life, and I will rectify it if it takes me thousands of years to do it. For your current suffering I can only apologize and tell you I had no way of returning here. I only managed to return after decades suffering amnesia and with the help of my mother. "

Myrathari looked at the man and indeed he looked like he was being honest." I had no idea, I am sorry for being so harsh on you Falon'Din. " Henry smiled," I am only sorry that my mistake has caused so many people to suffer. This young man needs training and there is no one I would trust to teach him than you. "

Myrathari accepted but she did mention that if the clan's safety was concerned it might become something that she would be forced to reconsider." It is the burden that your position as leader makes you endure I understand that better than most. Thank you. "

The young man was told that he would begin his training with the Keeper, but to always remember to treat others as he would have others treat him." Temper your decisions with patience and humility, and you might not have so many regrets later on. "

Henry and the others left to tell his mother the good news, one the one side she was the quite happy to hear that her son was not going to be sold as a slave, on the other she was surprised, shockingly surprised that the keeper of a dalish clan had agreed to help her son. She thanked them profusely as they left her home.

In the span of three days the party accomplished great things and Merrill's mood and burden lighten considerably. When Garret finally got to spend some time alone with her, she flat out asked him what he felt for her. She was very happy to learn that he felt very much the same as she did. It was the fear of rejection that actually kept her from saying it.

It was then that Merrill and Garret got married a few days later in a traditional dalish wedding. Leandra could not smile more as she saw her son and the lady he loved so become husband and wife. Leandra asked Henry since all her children were on with their lives maybe she too could consider romance.

This was when something he dreaded was mentioned to her. "Did you get white lilies from a secret admirer?" Leandra looked surprised by what Henry said. "Yes, I been getting them for quite some time now."

"Leandra listen to me and please do not take this lightly. The man who is sending you these flowers is a psychopath, a necromancer. He wants to reconstruct a body that would look like his dead wife and try and bring her back to life. I know this would cost you your life. "

Leandra looked at him and she saw that he was dead serious. " I got an invitation to meet him with the last flowers. If you think it is what it is I shall stay home. " Henry asked her where she was supposed to meet him. Henry told Garret of what he knew and the two quickly made a plan to deal with the sick bastard.


End file.
